Malaria

Malaria is a disease caused by protozoan parasites of the genus Plasmodium which occurs in the red blood cells of humans. World-wide about 800 million people are infected with malaria. Approximately 1.7 million African children die every year - an African child dies of malaria every 20 seconds. Malaria kills more children than any other disease, including AIDS.

This deadly disease that is transmitted from person to person by the “bite” of mosquitoes of the genus Anopheles is extremely prevalent throughout sub-Saharan Africa, including Bawa. Four species of the malarial parasite occur in humans: Plasmodium vivax, Plaxmodium ovale, Plasmodium malariae, and the most virulent of all, Plasmodium falciparum. While all four species occur in Cameroon, P. falciparum is the most common by far. Falciparum malaria is most deadly because of the condition known as cerebral malaria that is associated with the disease. This disease poses the greatest threat to young children and pregnant women.

In Bawa, malaria is the leading cause of death of children, account for 46.8% of all deaths of children under 11, and 64.7% of death attributable to infectious diseases. Many deaths may be prevented in the future by the distribution of insecticide-treated bednets to residents of the village, especially for children and pregnant women.

Likewise, malaria is a significant cause of death among the adult population, accounting for over 1 in 5 deaths in the village.

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