The anopheles mosquito is a prodigious hunter. Every year it infects between 350-500 million people with Plasmodium, the protozoan parasite that causes malaria. The result is often deadly—approximately one to three million people die around the world each year. Pregnant women, children, and people with compromised immune systems are particularly vulnerable.
Today, malaria is one of the most significant threats to the health of millions of people around the world, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa where in 2006 alone 86 percent of the world’s 247 million cases were reported, according to the World Health Organization 2008 Malaria Report.
The impact of malaria is not only putting pressure on health services across the globe, but also on the pockets of average citizens. A single malaria episode can devastate a family’s income, especially when it affects the health of the breadwinner. A family must cover the direct costs of hospital fees, medicines, and of funeral expenses in case of death. In agricultural industries like rice, coffee, sugarcane, tobacco, and tea, it is estimated that a large portion of man-hours lost—perhaps as high as 50 percent—are caused by malaria illnesses. Among school-aged children malaria has a similar effect. Children who are sick often miss classes and can develop attention deficit. This can affect their performance and cause some to repeat a grade or dropout from school.
ADRA is working globally with local communities to combat this disease. In Mozambique, ADRA is collaborating with the Ministry of Health, non-profit partners, and faith-based groups to implement the Together Against Malaria (TAM) project worth $2.4 million. This projects aims to train local community leaders to provide health education and mobilize their communities to work together to halt the spread of malaria. In Cote d’Ivoire, where half the country’s total deaths are caused by malaria, ADRA has developed a program to distribute mosquito nets, train community members in ways to prevent and control malaria, and provide medicines to nearby health centers. In Southern Sudan, ADRA has been assisting war returnees who arrive from northern areas by providing them with basic domestic items, including mosquito nets to prevent infection. During disasters, which can occur in endemic areas, such as recent flooding in Nepal, ADRA works to ensure that survivors receive medical treatment for malaria and much-needed mosquito nets to keep families—especially children—safe.
