Malaria is a mosquito-borne communicable disease of humans and other animals. Its symptoms include fever, fatigue, headache and vomiting.
Malaria infection can be caused by mosquito bites. According to the South African National Blood Services (SANBS) over half a million people died from Malaria in 2013 globally.
In recognition of World Malaria Day which is commemorated on April 25, health organisations from across the world are calling for everyone to join the fight to get rid of Malaria for good.
The theme for this year’s commemoration is “end malaria for good” and it calls on all South Africans to join the word in fighting the deadly but preventable disease.
South Africa is one of the countries vulnerable to this disease due to the availability of malaria-carrying mosquitos.
As an organisation which deals with blood donations, the SANBS is concerned that malaria is also transmitted from infected individuals through blood transfusions and infected needles.
In South Africa where 10 percent of the population lives in high-risk areas such as Limpopo, Mpumalanga and KwaZulu-Natal and the spread of malaria is seasonal.
“Prevention methods are reducing malaria globally, but Africa is still the continent where the most deaths from malaria occur. Therefore there is an opportunity to improve education and awareness about the epidemic and find better ways to curb the spread,” said SANBS communications manager, Vanessa Raju.
Children and pregnant woman who have weak immune systems are at high risk of contracting Malaria.
In its commitment to safeguarding the nation’s blood supply from malaria, SANBS runs extensive laboratory procedures as part of an integrated screening process.
These procedures include testing each unit of blood for infections like HIV, Hepatitis B and C and syphilis.
This year’s theme is in line with the World Health Organisation’s (WHO) resolution to eliminate malaria from at least 35 countries by 2030.
According to WHO “It is estimated that 21 countries are in a position to achieve this goal, including 6 countries in the African Region, where the burden of the disease is heaviest.”
