Have you at one point suffered malaria? For most of you, the answer is YES. However, have you embraced treated mosquito nets in your homes?
I suffered malaria many times until I decided to embrace mosquito net every day I went to bed. It is this simple daily routine that has kept me away from the wrath of malaria. Mosquitos that used to feast on me, infecting me with malaria are now kept far away from me as I enjoy my deep sleep every night.
This simple step if embraced every day, can indeed keep you away from malaria. But what is the major cause of malaria in Kenya?
In Kenya, malaria is mainly caused by the bite of an infected female Anopheles mosquito. It can also be transmitted through Blood transfusions from infected people and contaminated needles or syringes.
Malaria is caused by a single-celled parasite in the genus Plasmodium. There are five different types of Plasmodium that cause malaria in humans. Symptoms of malaria include: Headache, Fever, Shivering, Joint pain, and Vomiting.
To prevent malaria, you can take medications and use drape mosquito nets to cover beds, make this your habit at home.
When ‘The Power of Everyone’ was launched in Kenya’s capital, Nairobi in early February, 2024, the focus remained to make families openly discuss about malaria at their homes, ensure pregnant women attend antenatal clinics so that they are well guided on how to stay safe from malaria, communities get tested for malaria and equally when one turns positive of the disease they begin treatment.
These four critical aspects according to the Program Officer in charge of malaria department in the Ministry of health, James Sang remain very critical in fighting malaria up to the very grassroots level.
Mr Sang noted that The Power of Everyone in Fighting malaria that emanates from the Zero Malaria Campaign Coalition that involves various partners under the Malaria No More-UK has proved to be very effective in battling the disease in the country.
Efforts
“Focusing on the lake region that is Kisumu and Kakamega counties and the Coast region specifically Kilifi county, The Power of Everyone campaign intends to mobilise resources and partners and as well create awareness to the public in the lake region and the coastal county so that communities take the first step and know their capabilities in fighting malaria at the very grassroots level,” noted Mr Sang.
Though he admitted that resources remain a challenge, Sang says that when partners and individuals in the targeted areas work in unison and everyone contributes to the fight, Kenya will be free from malaria even before the stipulated time of the year, 2030.
Myths
“In Coast we have realised that there are many myths that are a setback to these efforts that is why we are involving the very grassroots community leaders and other actors including journalists reporting on health matters to dispel these myths so that our fight against malaria is successful,” he said.
These myths range from people mostly men believing that malaria is for the weak, locals going to witchdoctors for treatment instead of hospitals, pregnant women not attending pre-natal clinics, some people suffering from malaria sharing their medicine with other family members who do not go to hospital for diagnosis and treatment whenever they suspect they are suffering from malaria.
“There is one aspect that locals in Kilifi county for example believe that mosquito nets have bedbugs. This is not true, when bedbugs are already in their beds and locals use treated mosquito nets then the bedbugs feel irritated and hover around their homes because of the chemicals used to treat mosquito nets. Mosquito nets do not harbour bedbugs neither do they have spirits that disturb people sleeping under them,” he reiterated.
In Kisumu and Kakamega, the challenges remain that the two counties border neighbouring countries of Uganda and Congo which are heavily burdened with malaria and according to Sang, plans have been initiated to tame the spread of malaria in those two counties, while in Kilifi the target is to enlighten the local communities on the importance of sleeping under treated mosquito nets everyday they retire to the beds.
Statistics
According to the Kenya Malaria Indicator Survey, 2020, Kenya had a 6% prevalence. However, the lake region had 19% while the other counties harboured between 8% and 5 percent. In the coastal region the record was 5% and below.
The government has been using Artemether Lumefantrine (AL) for malaria treatment which Sang says it is very effective and there are no signs of resistance.
“However, the government has all the plans to change or upgrade incase the close monitoring exercise indicates otherwise,” he stated.
[Kilifi County Anti-malaria Coordinator Dr Chimwaga Mwamuye (left) with National anti-malaria Department Programs manager from the Ministry of health James Sang during the launch of The Power of Everyone Campaign in the Fight Against Malaria in Kilifi County. Photo/Ahmed Omar].
Meanwhile, Malaria No More-UK which is the Zero Malaria Campaign Coalition Secretariat, Acting Africa Director, Dan Adipo exuded hopes that with the accelerated ‘Power of Everyone in the Fight Against Malaria Campaign’ Kenya will reduce malaria prevalence and eventually ends it by the year, 2030.
“The power of Everyone simply means everyone including Bodaboda operators, fishermen, the youth, players in the entertainment industry, matatu sector players, Mama mboga, parents, guardians and all people are involved in the fighting malaria advocacy campaign. We call for malaria discussions in families, diagnosis and treatment, pregnant women to attend pre-natal care services and all people to always sleep under treated mosquito nets,” reiterated Mr Adipo.
He urged Kilifi residents to discard the myths that treated mosquito nets distributed for free to individual harbour bedbugs, reiterating that the mosquito nets are safe to use and will protect anyone sleeping underneath, against malaria.
