SADC Malaria Day commemorated

The Southern African Development Community (SADC) Malaria Day, commemorated  on 6 November every year, aims to create awareness about malaria and mobilise the community to participate in the malaria control programmes.

Communities are mobilised through health education to:

• recognise signs and symptoms of malaria
• provide more home-based treatment
• seek treatment when they become ill
• use personal protective measure.

Facts about malaria

• Malaria is a life-threatening disease caused by parasites that are transmitted to people through the bites of infected female mosquitoes.
• About 3.2 billion people – almost half of the world’s population – are at risk of malaria.
• Young children, pregnant women and non-immune travellers from malaria-free areas are particularly vulnerable to the disease when they become infected.
• Malaria is preventable and curable, and increased efforts are dramatically reducing the malaria burden in many places.
• Sub-Saharan Africa carries a disproportionately high share of the global malaria burden. In 2015, the region was home to 89% of malaria cases and 91% of malaria deaths.