Every Child Deserves a 5th Birthday

April 25^th is world malaria day, and along with Stomp Out Malaria April is blog about malaria month. 

Here in much of Sub-Saharan Africa malaria is the number one killer of children under the age of five.  In many regions of Togo malaria represents approximately 60% of all childhood deaths.  Eliminating malaria in Africa would represent an opportunity for thousands of children every year to celebrate their fifth birthday.

The effects of malaria reach far beyond the thousands of deaths it causes every year.  Everyday kids can’t go to school and people are kept out of work all thanks to malaria.  With cyclic fever, chills, vomiting, diarrhea, and malaise, who can blame anyone for not being able to head into work?  As a result, malaria endemic countries suffer huge losses in GDP and productivity every year.  Malaria is a serious illness with resounding consequences, but it is something we can ameliorate.

You say “well that’s tragic, but what possibly could I, someone thousands of miles away from Africa, have to do with combating malaria?”  Just knowing that the issue exists is a step towards eradication.  Did you know that the U.S. used to be endemic with malaria?  It was as or more prevalent in North America than malaria is currently in Africa, but with focused efforts we eliminated it from the continent.  The same can be done in Africa, especially with the new tools we have.

There are of course always opportunities to give charitably, there are continuously campaigns to distribute the highly effective insecticide impregnated mosquito nets, but you don’t have to give money to help the cause.  Just be aware of the issue, talk about it, and read about what is happening in the world of malaria and you can help make a difference, too.