Did you ever think that you could die from a 'simple' mosquito bite?
While no one really knows how many cases of malaria occur world wide it is over 200 million a year.
In my experience malaria starts with a headache which rapidly gets worse. Then as your fever goes up you start to be aware of your bones in a way that you normally do not experience. They ache. You alternate from freezing cold to hot as your body shakes. Even with treatment it can take weeks for you to start getting your energy back.
Over half of the people living in the world live at risk of malaria, with one child dyeing every minute.On LaGonave we'd put every patient ill enough to require hospitalization with a fever on malaria treatment at admission.
The malaria parasite continues to gain resistance to many medications used to treat malaria but the herb artemisia can be used to treat. Cory plans to send these small baby artemisia plants to LaGonave tomorrow to help with this serious, life-threatening problem.
Pregnant women fall into a high risk group for complications of malaria that can include: spontaneous abortions, miscarriages, premature delivery, severe anemia and low-birth-weight babies.
Sleeping under treated mosquito nets can prevent malaria.
Malaria prevents many folks in the tropics from physical work because of lack of energy due to anemia.
Read more about artemisia at Anamed Artemisia Program
or learn more about malaria prevention at Compassion's blog.
2 comments:
very interesting question!! i admit, i didn't think about malaria, but i DID think about dengue, and also about Tuberculosis!!! :D
I did know it was World Malaria Day, that was on the BBC website. One of my friends is a researcher/prof in Malaria research and it was one of my worries when my Mom headed off to Africa (back tomorrow!) 'cause it is a scary disease.
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