Too hungry to worry about malaria
Reaction from BMS to a report about a disease that kills hundreds of thousands of people in Africa, and worldwide, every year.
Last week the BBC reported that deaths from malaria are twice as high as previously estimated – up to 1.24 million worldwide.
Most deaths are still among young children in Africa, but there is now a higher proportion of deaths of older children and adults than previously thought.
Living day-by-day
BMS workers know only too well the risks of malaria but also the harsh realities that lead to simple preventative methods (eg a mosquito net) not being used.
BMS worker Bethan Shrubsole has learnt that in Uganda people’s everyday needs take priority over the risk of catching this deadly disease:
“People in the poorer areas of Kasese, in the west of Uganda, are more concerned about finding enough money to get food and school fees than worrying about if they might get malaria.
“In one area people were supposed to receive free mosquito nets but they haven’t been seen. Some say local councillors pocketed the money, others say that they were distributed but then sold by people, as the meal they would provide was considered more important.
“When you are living day-by-day with immediate concerns, why worry about malaria? Only when you have the illness do you worry about it, but of course then it is too late.”
What will be will be?
BMS regional team leader for Africa, Andrew North, tells us his thoughts on the situation:
“In Sub-Sahara Africa many have a fatalistic attitude – “It will happen if God wills it, no matter what I do or do not do” – so it will take a lot of persuasion if you are trying to live on a dollar a day to spend anything on malaria prevention.
“In decades past, many African cities were sprayed regularly with pesticides to clear the mosquitoes. However, national governments seem reluctant to take basic precautions with other priorities taking over for the use of resources. Those who make these life-or-death decisions generally have little understanding of what it is like to live in the mosquito-ridden shanty towns.
“When malaria strikes, especially cerebral malaria, many of the population, particularly infants, will have little chance of survival due to a poor daily diet and hygiene. With more malaria-resistant mosquitoes, the figures of people dying will continue to dramatically rise if the governments of the countries most affected by this killer disease do not make its eradication a priority.”
Please pray for the countries and continents affected by malaria – particularly Africa. Pray that the governments would have wisdom and prioritise the prevention of malaria.
Please pray and consider supporting BMS medical workers in malaria-affected countries like Chad and Guinea.
Photo credits from top top to bottom:
4Cheungs, Pierre Holtz for UNICEF,Gravitywave
08/02/2012
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