Increasing the Awareness of Malaria Incidence in African Children & Pregnant

Women

Ogbojaoluwafemi PreciousWalden University

PUBH 6165 Environmental Health

April 18th, 2014

Agenda Expected Learning outcome Targeted Audience/Reason for targeting them Malaria Etiology Malaria Epidemiology Malaria Mortality and Morbidity Significance of Malaria Incidence Who is at Risk Diagnosis and Treatment Malaria Control

Agenda Cont. Surveillance Elimination Who are the stakeholders Stakeholders’ efforts Identify Barriers in fighting Malaria Conclusion

Expected Learning Outcome Understanding Malaria Epidemiology Understanding Significance of Malaria Incidence Identify Who is at Risk Ability to Diagnosis and Treat Malaria Understanding of the various Control Measures Reviewing of the Stakeholders’ efforts Identification of Barriers in fighting Malaria Conclusion

Targeted Audience/Reason for Targeting Them

Malaria affects children and pregnant women mostly Malaria infection in pregnancy is a serious public health problem It has adverse effects on the woman, her fetus, and the newborn child (WHO) It leads to chronic anemia and placental malaria infection(WHO) It increases the risk of neonatal death(WHO) Low awareness on the control of malaria in Africa Poor socioeconomic status of most of the African families

Malaria Etiology Malaria causes flu-like symptoms Spread by female anopheles mosquitoes that bite at night. Parasites are being injected into the blood and take less than 30minutes to get into the liver Four different classes of malaria parasites are identified namely:

Plasmodium falciparum

Plasmodium vivax

Plasmodium malariae

Plasmodium ovale.

Malaria Etiology Cont. Plasmodium Vivax is universal and common in subtropical regions Plasmodium Falciparum is the most dangerous and kills. Plasmodium Malariae and Plasmodium Ovale is the least common and found in Africa

(WHO, 2009) It affects over 40% of the world population It infects 300-500 million people yearly It causes almost 1 million deaths yearly worldwide with more than 80% of those in

Africa

Malaria Epidemiology Malaria has an extremely heterogeneous epidemiology and ecology This was not very clear until recently. Behavioral issues in humans, settlement, climate and control of vector populations

shapes epidemiology of this disease

Malaria Mortality and Morbidity

Roughly 8.8 million children die yearly and malaria accounts for 16% of this death. Endemicity is a key player.) Malaria mortality rates have fallen by 42% globally since 2000(WHO)

Significance of Malaria Incidence Malaria is a life-threatening disease. In 2012, malaria caused an estimated 627 000 deaths (WHO) Malaria is preventable and curable(WHO) Non-immune travelers from malaria-free areas are very vulnerable Malaria impacts high social and economic cost on homes

Significance of Malaria Incidence Cont.

Poorest nations are mostly affected. Direct and indirect costs can be attributed to the disease. The attendance of children in school is also affected

Who is at Risk? About half of the world's population is at risk Young children in sub-Saharan Africa Non-immune pregnant women Semi-immune pregnant women in areas of high transmission semi-immune HIV-infected pregnant women people with HIV/AIDS Non-immune international travelers from non-endemic areas immigrants from endemic areas

Diagnosis and treatment Early diagnosis is key Malaria treatment reduces the transmission and prevents deaths Artemisinin-based combination therapy (ACT) is the best available treatment till date

Malaria Control Vector control reduces malaria transmission at the community level. It is the only intervention that can reduce malaria transmission from very high levels For individuals, personal protection against mosquito bites represents the first line of defense. Antimalarial medicines can also be used to prevent malaria Insecticide-treated mosquito nets (ITNs) & Indoor spraying with residual insecticides is

effective in treating Malaria

Surveillance Progress in controlling malaria should be tracked. Of the estimated global number of cases, only 14% could be

tracked More resources need to be committed to this

Elimination Disrupting Malaria transmission is key to eliminating the disease improve environmental hygiene around the homes will control the

larva stage of mosquitoes Research on finding a malaria vaccination should be pursued

rigorously,

Who are the Stakeholders? The Federal Ministry of Health State Ministry of health World Health Organization (WHO) United Nations International Children Fund (UNICEF) Department of Public Health Local communities, Public and private sectors, All tiers of government Non-Governmental Organizations

Efforts of the stakeholders Stakeholders mobilizes for actions to eradicate

this disease. Vaccines against malaria-WHO currently

evaluating malaria vaccines in 7 African countries The WHO Global Malaria Programme (GMP) is

charting way for malaria elimination Identification of threats to malaria control Making approaches to capacity building-Roll back

programme Monitoring global progress

Identify Barriers in fighting Malaria Mosquito resistance to pyrethroids has emerged in many

countries. There are less primary healthcare providers in the inner city and

rural areas Risk of Financial burden in poor countries

Conclusion Malaria is dangerous to Women and children It can be controlled by following basic hygiene

rules All stakeholders have part to play in its control Sleeping under nets is effective in keeping the

disease out

Reference

Snow, R.W., Gouws, E., Omumbo, J., Rapuoda ,B., Craig, M.H., Tanser,F.C., le Sueur, D., Ouma, J .(1998). Models to predict the intensity of Plasmodium falciparum transmission (1998): applications to the burden of disease in Kenya retrieved from: http://www.malariajournal.com/content/9/1/149#B6

World Health Organization. (2009). Malaria. Retrieved December 23, 2009.Retrieved from: http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs094/en

Akachi. Y & Atun .R (2011). Effect of investment in malaria control on child mortality in sub-Saharan Africa in 2002-2008. Retrieved from http://www.aidspan.org/sites/default/files/publications/aidspan-review-re-akachi-and-atun-on-malaria-2011-en.pdf

Reference cont.

Brooker, S., Guyatt, H., Omumbo, J., Shretta, R., Drake, L., & Ouma, J. (2000). Situation analysis of malaria in school-aged children in Kenya - what can be done? 16:183-186. Retrieved from http://www.malariajournal.com/content/9/1/149#B6