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On Tuesday, the Pan American Health Organization commemorates Malaria Day in the Americas. During the day, the goal is to emphasize the need to invest in the prevention and control of the disease on the continent.
The litoral | PAHO
This Tuesday, November 6th marks the Malaria Day in the Americas, date set by the member states of the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) on the occasion of the 200th Governing Council, an opportunity to highlight the need to invest in the prevention and control of the disease in the Americas.
It is estimated that regional efforts coordinated by PAHO and its partners have saved hundreds of lives by reducing mortality rates by 30% between 2000 and 2017. Paraguay has been certified this year for eliminating malaria in June. Argentina is on track to obtain certification in 2019. However, other countries have recorded an increase in the number of cases, which threatens the achievement of the goals of reducing the number of cases and the corresponding elimination of the disease in the region by 2030.
The Pan American Health Organization urged countries in the region to take urgent action to stem the growing caseload, maintain gains and rid the continent of malaria, a disease that was the leading cause of death in the world. of the last century. almost all the nations of the world.
"The elimination of malaria is now closer than ever," said PAHO Director Carissa F. Etienne. However, he said that "we can not trust stocks, nor relax them, control efforts should double where the impact has rebounded," he said.
Malaria is endemic in 20 countries in Latin America and the Caribbean, one less than in 2017 after its elimination in Paraguay. Since 2015, the number of malaria cases in the region has increased by 71%. 95% of the total was concentrated in five countries, mainly in specific areas where efforts to control the disease had been weakened. Many of the people affected are indigenous people, people in vulnerable situations and mobile populations such as miners and migrants.
"If we want to eliminate malaria, we need more investment and expand access to prevention, diagnosis and rapid treatment of the disease in the communities with the highest concentration of malaria. case, "said Marcos Espinal, director of the Department of Communicable Diseases and Determinants. Environmental Health of OPS.
# DayMalariaAmericas This is an opportunity to take stock of the progress of the fight against #malaria and ask for a renewed commitment to end this centennial disease.
➕INFO: https://t.co/jpsCsG5wFe@HO @Unfoundation #CampeonesMalaria #HealthForAll pic.twitter.com/mN3X1vcGaC
– PAHO / WHO (@opsoms) November 6, 2018
About malaria
Malaria is a disease caused by a Plasmodium parasite, which is transmitted by the bite of an infected mosquito. Only the anopheles genus of the mosquito transmits malaria. Symptoms of this condition may include fever, vomiting and / or headache. The classic form of manifestation in the body is "fever, sweating and chills" that appear 10 to 15 days after the mosquito bite. Blood samples are examined under a microscope to diagnose malaria, where the parasite is detected inside the red blood cells. Rapid diagnostic tests (RDTs) are used to diagnose malaria in remote areas where the microscope can not be used.
The parasites Plasmodium vivax and P. falciparum are the most common malaria, while P. malariae and P. ovale are less known parasites. Of all these, infection acquired by P. falciparum is the most lethal if not treated in time and can lead to serious kidney and brain complications, even death. Chloroquine was the treatment of choice for malaria and is still used in most countries for the treatment of P. vivax; artemisinin-based combination therapy, the main treatment against this parasite. Preventive measures include the use of insecticide-treated mosquito nets and the internal spraying of residual insecticides; its functions are to reduce the risk of bites from infected mosquitoes.
Key facts
Malaria is a deadly disease caused by parasites transmitted to humans by the bite of an infected mosquito.
- – Malaria kills a child every 2 minutes.
- – In 2015, there were 212 million cases of malaria causing nearly 429,000 deaths, including many African children.
- – In the Americas, there were 568,000 cases of malaria and about 220 deaths were reported in 2016.
- – Malaria is preventable and curable.
- – About half of the world's population is at risk of contracting malaria, particularly those living in low-income countries. In the Americas, an estimated 132 million people live in areas at risk of contracting malaria.
- – People traveling from malaria-free areas to areas where the disease is prevalent are particularly vulnerable.
Malaria is a significant economic burden and can reduce by 1.3% the rate of economic growth in countries where the disease is common.
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