Today is World Malaria Day (WMD). It is an international observance commemorated every year on the 25th of April and recognizes global efforts to control malaria. Globally, 3.3 billion people in 106 countries are at risk of malaria. The theme for 2016 is “End Malaria for Good”. Following the great progress made under the Millennium Development Goals, it is important to build on this success and ‘end malaria for good’ under the Sustainable Development Goals.

The World Malaria Day theme provides a common platform for countries to showcase their successes in malaria control and unify diverse initiatives in the changing global context. Malaria is a life-threatening disease caused by parasites that are transmitted to people through the bites of infected mosquitoes. Malaria is preventable and curable. It is caused by Plasmodium parasites which is spread to people through the bites of infected Anopheles mosquitoes (malaria vectors), which bite mainly between dusk and dawn. Early diagnosis and treatment of malaria reduces disease and prevents deaths. It also contributes to reducing malaria transmission.

The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends the ABCD approach of prevention:
• Awareness: People traveling to a malaria’s region and inhabitants of these regions need to be aware of the risks from malaria, effective prevention strategies, the incubation period, symptoms, and where to seek diagnosis and treatment.
• Bite Prevention: If you don’t get bitten, you cannot catch malaria!, Wearing long sleeved shirts and long trousers protects from many insects other than mosquitoes, including those which bite during day time. Whether working or participating in recreational activities, you should wear long sleeved clothes and long trousers from 1 hour before dusk until 1 hour after dawn. If staying in accommodation with poor air conditioning, and/or inadequate insect barriers, sleep under an insecticide treated bed net or fumigate the room with potent insecticides that would get rid of the parasites.
• Chemoprophylaxis: The use of chemical agents to prevent malaria such as malaria drugs to prevent malaria in non-immunes and to limit progression of the infection in semi-immunes.
• Diagnosis: Early diagnosis and treatment of malaria reduces disease and prevents deaths. It also contributes to reducing malaria transmission

Vaccines against malaria: There are currently no licensed vaccines against malaria or any other human parasite.

Defeating malaria is critical to ending poverty and improving maternal and child health.

Use of mosquito nets goes a long way in preventing malaria. James Ibori distributed some very good ones those days.