Malaria Campaign
Making Malaria History Campaign is a program being implemented under Africa Youth Ministries Uganda Sports and Recreation Department. Through Sport, as a development tool Africa Youth Ministries is already implementing as programs such as "Tackling AIDS Through Sport, Mines Risk Awareness, and Street Kids Sports Programs".
Through the Make Malaria History Campaign (MHC), the organization plans to distribute over 100,000 treated mosquito nets to Children Orphaned by AIDS and People Living with AIDS in the Districts of Rakai, Masaka, Wakiso, Jinja, Iganga, Hoima, Gulu, Kitgum and Adjumani. So far 500 Mosquito nets have been distributed through our sports networks targeting needy Children enrolled already in our programs.
The major objective of this campaign is to make mosquito nets available to the most vulnerable and disadvantaged poor segment of our population who cannot afford to buy a mosquito net and as well create more awareness on the dangers of malaria in rural communities.
The Country Director Africa Youth Ministries Mr. Kunihira Albert hands over a Mosquito Net to one of the Make Malaria History Through Sport Program during the program launch at Mandela National Stadium on the 7th of July 2007.
Economic Impact of Epidemic Malaria in Africa
Malaria is endemic to the poorest countries in the world, causing 300 to 500 million clinical cases and more than one million deaths each year. More than 90% of malaria deaths occur in Sub-Saharan Africa (approximately 3,000 deaths each day), and almost all the deaths are children younger than 5, where it kills an African child every 30 seconds. Many children who survive an episode of severe malaria may suffer from learning impairments or brain damage.
Pregnant women and their unborn children are also particularly vulnerable to malaria, which, during pregnancy, is a major cause of mortality, low birth weight and maternal anemia. And while we know malaria is preventable, the lack of resources, coupled with a climate very hospitable to the deadliest strain of malaria, has made the disease a leading cause of death among African children.
The good news is that malaria is both preventable and treatable.
In Sub-Saharan Africa, 15% of all disability-adjusted life-years (DALYs) are lost to malaria. Over the last two decades, morbidity and mortality from malaria have been increasing due to deteriorating health systems, growing drug and insecticide resistance, periodic changes in weather patterns, civil unrest, human migration, and population displacement. Malaria largely affects poor people and rural populations carry the overwhelming burden of disease as compared to urban centers where a relatively better access to service exists. People living in poor quality housing are particularly at risk.
Poor people are at greater risk of complications and death, because their lack or extremely limited access to early diagnosis and prompt and effective treatment. Malaria also contributes to poverty by reducing the productivity of infected people and their caretakers. Households spend significant sums (US$ 0.39 to 3.84/capita per year in Sub-Saharan Africa) to prevent and treat malaria.
It has been estimated that malaria has slowed economic growth in African countries by 1.3% per year. Compounded over 35 years, this amounts to a 32% reduction in the GDP of countries in Africa where malaria is endemic. The economic losses due to malaria in Africa have recently been estimated at about US$12 billion per year. However, the impact of epidemic malaria on the economy, where the health service delivery system falls under serious logistic and management problems, could be much higher than these estimates.
In the Eastern part of Africa, where malaria epidemics mostly occur during seasons of peak agricultural activities, the condition not only excludes the sick ones from daily agricultural activities, but also the healthy ones who should take care for their sick family members and relatives. The lack of enough manpower during peak agricultural activities also decreases productivity and hence lowering income and aggravating food insecurity. However, there is no a documented evidence on the economic impact of malaria epidemics that could indicate estimates of the extent of its impact on national and household economy.
US Envoy to Uganda Deborah Malac & Uganda’s Ministry of Health with assistance from the Global Fund launches a program to 849,495 Long Lasting Insecticide Mosquito Nets to over 1,400,000 refugees in Uganda
Bales of Mosquito Nets Donated for Community Distribution
Community Mosquito Net Distribution to Children
Malaria and Education
Malaria greatly affects the regular school attendance of children in rural areas, thus affecting their studies adversely or they will remain at home to look after their parents, relatives or siblings who are suffering from malaria until they are recovered fully.
What is Malaria?
Malaria is a disease caused by the parasite Plasmodium. The parasite is spread or transmitted to people by the bite of an infected female Anopheles mosquito, which feeds on human blood at dusk and during early night hours. Some vectors have biting pecks around midnight or early hours of the morning.
Human is the only important reservoir of human malaria. Plasmodium falciparum is the commonest species in most Sub-Saharan Africa countries and is associated with significant morbidity and mortality. There are other species of malaria parasite. Malaria symptoms, which appear about 9 to 14 days after the infectious mosquito bite, include fever, headache, vomiting and other flu-like symptoms. If drugs are not available for treatment or if the parasites are resistant to them, the infection can lead to coma, severe life-threatening anemia, and death by infecting and destroying red blood cells and by clogging the capillaries that carry blood to the brain (cerebral malaria) or other vital organs.
The Mosquito Net
Mosquito nets protect sleeping people from mosquitoes when the mosquitoes are the most active (at night, between 10 p.m. and 4 a.m.). Most nets can last up to five years and cover at least two people. Talk to your pupils at school and encourage them to talk to their parents about providing a family in Africa with a $10 mosquito net. You can help save a life—maybe even a kid your age! Malaria infection can be controlled by providing sustainable preventive measures, such as the use of Insecticide Treated Nets (ITN)
Mosquito Nets Appeal
Africa Youth Ministries Uganda is sending out this appeal to well wishers, friends, partners and donors to donate both materially and financially towards make mosquito nets available to Orphaned Children and People Living With AIDS in Uganda. Every $10 gift provides a family a bed net – including the purchase, distribution and other critical elements like education, monitoring and evaluation.
Bed nets are only one tool in the comprehensive solution to control malaria and a small portion of each $10 gift supports Malaria No More’s overall work to control this deadly disease. Funding will be provided to Malaria No More's established partners in Africa, such as UNICEF and the American Red Cross, to turn your donation into lives saved.