Happy World Malaria Day!

Let’s talk about malaria!  

In a door-to-door survey conducted by health volunteer Hannah Purkey, malaria is the most common illness that affects Sanguéré-Paul.  It’s not just an issue here in Sanguéré-Paul, but we see it in all of our villages in Cameroon, and most of Sub-Saharan Africa as well.

This disease, spread by mosquitoes, affects 300 million to 500 million people worldwide each year, killing approximately 1 million children.  While mosquitoes tend to breed where there is an abundance of stagnant water, that doesn’t mean they don’t exist up here in the arid North region of Cameroon. 

Young children and pregnant women are the most gravely effected by this disease, but Peace Corps Volunteers have definitely experienced its wrath as well.  While I’ve been lucky enough to avoid it, Cameroon is ranked #1 in terms of malaria incidences amongst volunteers.  One of my friends and fellow volunteers even had to be medically-separated a couple weeks ago as a result of having three cases of malaria in only four months.  

Le paludisme:  It's a serious problem.

So what can we do?  Peace Corps volunteers are stepping up our game in the battle against this disease through a campaign called “Stomp Out Malaria”.  

“The Stomping Out Malaria in Africa initiative aims to have universal bed net coverage and malaria prevention and treatment education programs in every malaria-impacted Peace Corps community in the initial target countries by 2013.

In addition, Peace Corps will work with partners to achieve two Millennium Challenge goals: a 50% or more reduction in deaths caused by malaria globally by 2015 and a substantial reduction in deaths caused by malaria in all 25 African target countries by 2020.” -Stomp Out Malaria

Even as an agroforestry volunteer, I can take part in this effort.  A couple months ago, I conducted door-to-door surveys in my village to see whether or not people in village have their malaria facts straight, and to see how many people use a mosquito net.

The results:  While most people are aware of the symptoms of malaria, not everyone has the means to seek treatment when the fever strikes and merely hoping that the fever and chills will subside on their own or that a traditional or local remedy can cure it.  Not everyone was aware that malaria is transmitted through mosquitoes, or even that it can happen at any time of the year.  While most people did in fact have mosquito nets, the majority of people don’t sleep under them, claiming that it traps in the heat when this place is already too darn hot (which is a bunch of baloney, because trust me, your going to sweat your pants off regardless of whether or not you’re under that net.)

This exercise was a great way to understand a bit more about my community – about the knowledge they have and some of the daily struggles they face.  It was also a great way to get to know more people. 

Today for World Malaria Day, several of my fellow PCVs will be partnering with the Ministry of Health and the Red Cross to host a malaria testing and treatment campaign in Ngaoundéré. 

It will be a long, hard struggle before we can conquer this disease, but in the meantime, we can continue to encourage testing, treatment, and moustiquaires! (bed nets)  As for myself, bug spray, bed nets, and malaria prophylaxis!  

Check out www.stompoutmalaria.org for more information!