Malaria: prevention first

As you may already know, Malaria is an infectious disease that can easily be transmitted by mosquitoes. Every year, approximately 460,000 children under the age of five die from Malaria. In impoverished countries where medical supplies are limited, it is still a very fearful disease as it can be life-threatening.

In the Hamdallaye region of Niger, residents gather in a local school to attend the Good Neighbors Malaria prevention campaign, as they prepare for the upcoming rainy season. Here, they learn what Malaria is, why they get infected, what the symptoms are, and how to prevent it. After the session, a total of 650 families received mosquito nets treated with pesticides to prevent the spread of infection within their communities.

“After the rainy season, there are a lot of mosquitoes breeding in water pools. We can see that pregnant women and children under the age of five are particularly susceptible to Malaria infection. The Good Neighbors Malaria prevention campaign was very informative and helpful to us. After receiving mosquito nets and being educated about Malaria prevention, we feel confident in facing the upcoming rainy season. Thank you to everyone who contributed to improving healthcare in our town.”

After discovering that health services in the region were limited, Good Neighbors Niger implemented mobile clinics, where medical supplies and medication would be brought directly to the towns. Patients would consist of children who showed Malaria-like symptoms, and others with abdominal pain as well as eye and ear infections. With these mobile clinics, these patients would be in luck, because they would be able to receive treatment and medication right away.

To eradicate Malaria for good, the best solution is to increase attention and knowledge. It is a disease that practically anyone could be infected with, but not all can recover from. With all aspects of prevention, education, and treatment, there will eventually be no more individuals who suffer from Malaria. With the generous donations provided by sponsors around the globe, Good Neighbors is able to distribute mosquito nets and Malaria prevention drugs to our neighbors in need.

Let’s put preventative healthcare forward, and work towards eradicating Malaria once and for all!

Source: Good Neighbors International