Mata Malaria!

Hello my dearest friends!

I have been extraordinarily terrible at keeping a blog... BUT this is the first attempt to change that!
Today, I am sharing a "guest post" by my friend and fellow volunteer Eileen who composed this email about malaria! This month is malaria awareness month for Mozambique PCV's so I am taking a second to share it with you!

Keep an eye out for updates about life in Manje coming SOON!

"Hello everyone!

Malaria isn't something that we hear much about in the USA, but globally, it is a massive public health concern.  Malaria prevention is one of my main focuses here in Tete, Mozambique as a Peace Corps Health Volunteer.  So, if you're at all interested in learning a little bit about malaria and what I do for my job, keep reading.

What exactly is malaria? 

Malaria is an infectious disease caused by parasites transmitted through the bite of a female anopheles mosquito. Common symptoms include fever, nausea, and severe fatigue and aches.  Though it can be quickly treated through a series of pills, it can rapidly become very serious and deadly.

Just how serious are we talking?

Very. Last year alone, there were 212 million cases of malaria worldwide resulting in 429,000 deaths.  92% of these deaths occurred in Sub-Saharan Africa.  70% of all malaria deaths are among children under 5 years old, and pregnant women and people living with HIV/AIDS are also particularly vulnerable. Source

Why don't we have malaria in America? We have plenty of mosquitoes....

We used to!  Then in 1947, the US began malaria eradication programs (this eventually led to the beginning of the CDC) including mass insecticide campaigns and wetland drainage. This was very successful, and by 1952, American malaria had become a nearly non-existent problem.

Great, why can't other countries just eliminate malaria like the US did?

If only it were that easy.  There are many more barriers to disease eradication in developing countries than developed ones...corrupt politics, lack of infrastructure, little funding, suspicion surrounding western science and medicine, ineffective/harmful aid programs, and geographic challenges, just to name a few.  

So what is being done in those countries to reduce malaria cases and death by malaria?

The best cure for malaria is prevention because infected humans act as hosts for mosquitoes to spread the parasite to others--it's a vicious cycle. In Mozambique for example, the Mozambican government is trying to distribute bed nets throughout the country, though this is proving very challenging, see issues listed above.  There are also occasional insecticide spraying campaigns.  Mozambicans are encouraged to keep their yards and homes clean and dry to disrupt mosquito larvae conditions, they may keep livestock between their homes and a water source so that the mosquitoes more frequently prey on animal blood before biting the nearby humans, and they are encouraged to seek treatment at a health center as soon as they notice malarious symptoms.  Additionally, some communities are lucky enough to have community health workers who can go door to door and offer malaria tests and basic treatment.  

What do I do as a public health volunteer?

My job is to work with Mozambican counterparts on various malaria outreach projects.  We respond to barriers in treatment and prevention.  Here are examples of things that I, or other PCVs have worked on:

• Sick people are afraid to visit the health center because the staff are mean to them: implement patient satisfaction surveys and delicately coach certain staff members on their interaction with patients. Market the health center to the community.
• There is confusion about how malaria and its treatment work, especially among those with limited eduction: organize a mural painting project among youth.  The mural will simply depict malaria prevention strategies and treatment protocols without relying on reading or scientific comprehension. 
• Folks would rather visit their local witch doctor instead of going to the health center when they are sick: organize brief health lectures in public focal points in the community to emphasize the importance of seeking medical care when certain serious symptoms arise--while still acknowledging the cultural significance of traditional medicine.  Patients should feel comfortable using both outlets, if they desire.
• Most houses in a neighborhood lack window screens, leaving residents vulnerable to mosquitoes inside their houses: guide Mozambican counterparts through a grant writing process.  Together, design a project that quantifies the screens needed, organizes an orderly installation process, then monitors and evaluates the results. 

What are the next steps in the global fight against malaria?

Globally, malaria cases have declined in the past couple of years, thanks to the work of many health organizations around the world.  Scientists have also been researching several options, including a malaria vaccine, which is in testing phases in some African countries.  This vaccine may reduce the likelihood that someone contracts malaria.  If you're interested in the newest developments about this and other malaria research, like the Peace Corps Mozambique malaria Facebook page, which is called 2M Mata Malaria.

That's all for now, thanks for taking a few minutes to read about this. Feel free to forward if you know anyone else who would be interested. Have a great day!

Eileen"