World Celebrate 2020 Malaria Day With THEME “Zero Malaria Starts With Me”

Today is World Malaria Day, it is marked each year on 25 April.
Theme for this year is “Zero Malaria Starts With Me”
Is a grassroots campaign aimed to keep malaria high on the political agenda and to mobilize more resources in eradicating it.
It also aims at empowering communities to take control of malaria prevention and care.

This is an occasion to highlight the need for continued investment and sustained political commitment for malaria prevention and control in the world and most especially in the countries that Malaria is ravaging.
Poor and polluted environment are some of the causes of Mosquitoes.
Poverty and infrastructural degradation in some countries leads to people living in squalors and swampy environments thereby giving rise to the breeding of Mosquitoes.
In Africa, is only Algeria that have been declared Malaria Free.

Through country good leadership and collective action, there will be a reduction of suffering and death from malaria.
In 2000 and 2014, the number of malaria-related deaths reduced by 40% worldwide, from an estimated 743 000 to 446 000.

According to WHO’s World malaria report 2019, there were no global gains in reducing new infections over the period 2014 to 2018. And nearly as many people died from malaria in 2018 as the year before.

Urgent action is needed to get back on track, and ownership of the challenge lies in the hands of countries most affected by malaria. The “Zero malaria” campaign engages all members of society:
political leaders who control government policy decisions and budgets;
private sector companies that will benefit from a malaria-free workforce;
and communities affected by malaria, whose buy-in and ownership of malaria control interventions is critical to success.
Malaria can be prevented by following this simple ABCD steps,

Awareness of risk – find out whether you’re at risk of getting malaria.

Bite prevention – avoid mosquito bites by using insect repellent, covering your arms and legs, and using a mosquito net.

Check whether you need to take malaria prevention tablets – if you do, make sure you take the right antimalarial tablets at the right dose, and finish the course.

Diagnosis – seek immediate medical advice if you have malaria symptoms.

Malaria is a big burden financially and human resources, so to live a malaria free environment all hands must be on deck in making sure we don’t keep stagnant waters around, bushes are cleared in our surroundings etc.
The government should help in reducing slums by building low cost building for the poor in the society.
Pipe borne water should also be available.
Good drainage system and good sanitation should be encouraged.
With the above mentioned, Malaria will be defeated.