Malaria has been a major public health problem in India. Despite several challenges, India has made great progress in the past few decades toward eliminating malaria. Ending Malaria remains a top government priority in India and this is what makes World Malaria Day all the more important.
What is Malaria?
Malaria is an infectious disease caused by parasites of the Plasmodium group, spread through the bites of infected Anopheles mosquitoes. Malaria is preventable and curable, but still, its impact causes many deaths every year worldwide. Today marks World Malaria Day. This international day is a chance to call for increased investment in malaria control.
World Malaria Day is observed annually on 25 April, to bring global attention to the efforts being made to bring an end to malaria, and encourage action to reduce suffering and death from the disease.
World Malaria Day – Theme
The World Health Organisation (WHO) theme for 2024 is “Accelerate the fight against malaria for a more equitable world”. The progress in fighting malaria has slowed in recent years, creating a need for a concerted effort in developing new control approaches, diagnostics, antimalarial medicines, and other tools.
By raising our voices together, we can make the strongest case for how increasing investments in malaria will rapidly drive down malaria cases and deaths in high burden countries, while continuing to hurry towards elimination in low burden countries. And, how working & fighting together we can #EndMalaria and achieve A MORE EQUAL WORLD.
Malaria Day: Causes of Malaria
World Malaria Day: Symptoms and Transmission
Symptoms of Malaria typically manifest within 10 to 15 days after being bitten and may include fever, headache, and chills. However, individuals residing in endemic regions may remain asymptomatic due to acquired immunity.
Transmission of malaria occurs solely through the bites of infected mosquitoes and is not communicable between individuals. Among the over 400 species of female Anopheles mosquitoes, approximately 40 are recognized as vector species capable of transmitting the disease.
