World Malaria Day 2022- History, Theme, and Importance

Every year, the 25th of April is observed as World Malaria Day. The focus is put on discussions about the eradication of Malaria. But why Malaria? According to the World Health Organization, in the year 2020, there were around 241 million cases of malaria. There were about 627,000 people who died of the disease in 85 nations. World Malaria Day is observed to talk about the impact of Malaria globally. Since the disease impacts human life on such a big scale, no more delay should be made to fight against it. In this article, we will talk about everything from the history of Malaria World Day to its importance.

Read about World Earth Day here

History of World Malaria Day

Do you know that the idea of World Malaria day was inspired by Africa Malaria Day? This day was observed by the African Government since 2001. Africa Malaria Day was renamed World Malaria Day in one of the sessions of the World Health Assembly. Since 2008, the world has been observing World Malaria Day. Every year, there is a specific theme given for this day highlighting the goal for that year. For instance, the theme for the year 2020 was ‘Zero Malaria starts with me’

World Malaria Day 2022 Theme

“Harness innovation to reduce the malaria disease burden and save lives” is the World Malaria Day 2022 theme given by WHO. The idea of the theme is to invest in the innovation for solutions for Malaria. Malaria is a treatable disease but it still impacts the lives of more than a million people in different countries. To completely eradicate Malaria, the WHO talks about focussing on bringing new vector control methods and antimalarial medicines. The highest cases of malaria are in sub-Saharan Africa. Children under the age of 5 accounted for more than two-thirds of deaths. This is why it is a major concern.

Recently we celebrated the 14th of April as Ambedkar Jayanti. Know about Ambedkar Jayanti here

Facts about Malaria

• The causative agent of Malaria is the Plasmodium parasite. It is spread through the female Anopheles mosquitoes. 
• Out of the different types of plasmodium parasites, the ones that can cause Malaria are- Plasmodium falciparum, Plasmodium vivax, P. ovale and Plasmodium malariae, and Plasmodium knowlesi
• The plasmodium that causes the maximum number of deaths is Plasmodium falciparum.
• The symptoms of Malaria include fever, headache, and chills.
• An infected person shows symptoms of Malaria 10-15 days after the infection.
• The treatment of Malaria includes a combination of drugs known as Artemisinin-based Combination therapy (ACT)

Symptoms of Malaria

How does one know if they might be infected? Symptoms can appear within a few weeks after the infection. Check for the following symptoms if you think you might have Malaria.

• Chills
• Fever
• Headache
• Feeling of discomfort generally
• Nausea and Vomiting
• Diarrohea
• Abdominal Pain
• Muscle or joint pain
• Fatigue
• Rapid breathing
• Rapid heart rate
• Cough

Prevention of Malaria

Prevention is better than cure. If you know that the cases of Malaria are rising. If you are traveling to a place where there are chances of getting infected, you must take precautions. Although the disease is curable, it still impacts the body in other ways. Hence it is best to take precautions. Here are some must-dos.

• Take prescribed antimalarial medicines a few days or weeks before traveling
• Carry 50% DEET-based insect repellent and apply daily
• Use mosquito nets
• Wear clothes that fully cover your arms and legs
• Try to get out lesser during the evening. If necessary, go out with long-sleeved shirts
• Keep your surroundings clean. Make sure that there is no stagnant water nearby
• During the evening, shut your windows and doors 
• Aromatic plants like Rosemary, lemongrass, etc. keep the mosquitoes away

We hope this article was informative. Make sure you are safe. Spread information not infection!

World Malaria Day 2022 FAQs