Malaria is a rampant disease in Africa and in Nigeria in particular. As pervasive as it is, awareness and prevention are not as pervasive as they could be. According to the World Health organisation (WHO), in 2012, Malaria caused an estimated 627,000 deaths mostly among African children. Awareness and preventive measures can ensure this number drastically reduces.
On these premises and in commemoration of World Malaria Day, Connectinigeria.com want to give you a few basic tips on how to prevent malaria as they say “prevention is better than cure”. Here we have compiled symptoms and some simple tips on prevention.
Symptoms of Malaria
Many people often don’t know the signs and symptoms of malaria which can lead to mistreatment or late diagnosis. You can only get malaria if you’re bitten by an infected mosquito, or if you receive infected blood from someone during a blood transfusion. F either have happened you may experience symptoms such as;
Fever
Chills
Headache
Sweats.
Fatigue.
nausea and vomiting
Dry (nonproductive) cough
Muscle or/and back pain
Enlarged spleen
Muscle aches
A general feeling of illness (malaise).
Long term effects of Malaria
Leaving malaria in your system without adequately treating it can result in detrimental health effects such as;
“Blackwater fever” – caused by the rupture of large numbers of red blood cells, releasing haemoglobin (the pigment found in red blood cells) into the urine which gives the urine a darker colour
Kidney failure – probably also due to the haemoglobin going through the kidneys
Anaemia – due to all the red blood cells being destroyed
Pulmonary oedema – fluid in the lungs, making breathing very difficult. It is not a common complication
Ways to prevent MalariaAwareness of risk– The risk of being bitten by a mosquito and the type of malaria transmitted varies, depending on the country you’re visiting and the time of year, but always be aware especially if you’re travelling. Measures to avoid bites should always be taken. If malaria is prevalent in an area you’re travelling to, you would be wise to take preventive medicine.Avoid mosquito bites– Mosquitoes that carry malaria bite particularly at twilight and at night, so take most precautions during this time.
Sleep in rooms that are properly screened with nets. Make sure there are no holes in the nets and no unscreened entry points to the room. Air-conditioned rooms or the use of fans are good, too.
Spray the room with an insecticide before entering to kill any mosquitoes that have got inside during the day.
Use a mosquito net around your bed, and cover the net with an insecticide such as pyrethrum (a harmless substance manufactured on the basis of extract of chrysanthemum) or permethrin (the artificial version of the same).
Although difficult in a hot climate, try and wear long trousers, long-sleeved clothing and socks thick enough to stop the mosquitoes biting after sunset. Light colours are less attractive to mosquitoes.
Use mosquito repellent cream- Mosquito repellent containing diethyl toluamide (DEET) is recommended as the most effective form of bite-preventive treatment. It has an excellent safety profile in adults, children and pregnant women and has been used in over 8 billion doses in the last 50 years. Insect repellents containing over 30 to 50 per cent DEET will effectively repel mosquitoes when applied to exposed skin. Lemon scent was found to protect citrus groves from mosquitoes, and refined lemon eucalyptus oil on skin also repels mosquitoes but requires much more frequent application (every 40 minutes compared to 4 to 6 hours for DEET).Take Anti-Malaria Tablets- It should be noted that no prophylactic regimen is 100% effective and advice on malaria prophylaxis changes frequently. There are currently five prophylactic regimens used (A,B,C,D & E), due to the differing resistance that exists by the malaria parasites to the various drugs used. The tablets you require depend on the country to which you are travelling to or living in. If you are travelling to a country where malaria is prevalent, start taking the tablets before travel and take them absolutely regularly during your stay, preferably with or after a meal and continue to take them after you have returned. This is extremely important to cover the incubation period of the disease.Despite applying all the mentioned prevention methods, if you have been to a malarial area and you experience any of the aforementioned symptoms, see a doctor immediately. Safety always comes first. Let’s spread the word and also apply it to ensure we live longer and healthier lives.
