Media statement

Malaria still a flying threat in Africa

According to the World Health Organization’s World Malaria Report 2008 there were estimates of 247 million malaria cases in 2006 worldwide. More than 85% of the incidents were reported amongst children under the age of five years who live in Africa (WHO, 2008).

Malaria is caused by a parasite that is transmitted to humans by the female Anopheles mosquito. Once a person has been infected with malaria, the parasite enters the liver where it undergoes a multiplication phase. The parasites then invade red blood cells where each parasite can produce more than 30 new parasites and subsequently destroy the red blood cells, which could lead to severe anaemia. A flood of waste material in the blood, caused by the malaria parasite, could also lead to failure of the kidneys, liver and spleen.

In an interview with the Web and Media Technologies of the South African Medical Research Council (MRC), the Unit Director of the Malaria Research Lead Programme of the MRC, Dr Rajendra Maharaj, said that 10% of the South African population is at risk of acquiring malaria. Malaria is found on the border regions of KwaZulu-Natal, Limpopo and Mpumalanga and forms the southernmost fringe of the malaria distribution area in Africa.

Dr Maharaj said his programme has embarked on an initiative that is set out to improve the malaria situation in South Africa by assisting neighbouring countries to put in place research-supported control interventions. They are involved in the Lubombo Spatial Development Initiative that includes the three South African malaria affected provinces mentioned earlier; the eastern part of Swaziland; and southern Mozambique. He continued that so far, these control interventions brought about a 90% reduction of incidence in the three countries. According to Dr Maharaj, this working relationship has also resulted in increased tourism to an area that was once considered a high malaria transmission area. It opened the area for agriculture and contributed to the economic development of the entire Lubombo area.

Current interventions include mosquito vector prevention and parasite control strategies. Vector prevention refers to the use of insecticide-treated nets and indoor residual spraying to prevent mosquitoes from biting and subsequently transmitting malaria. Mosquito vector prevention also advocates, in specific settings, the treatment of open water sources to kill—and therefore prevent - mosquito larvae from developing into malaria-transmitting mosquitoes.

Listen to audio podcasts of the above interview with Dr Maharaj developed by Janus Snyders of the Web and Media Technologies, eHealth Research and Innovation Platform:

Part 1: http://audio.mrc.ac.za/stream/src/m3u/Malaria-DrMarahaj-April2009-Part1.mp3
Part 2: http://audio.mrc.ac.za/stream/src/m3u/Malaria-DrMarahaj-April2009-Part2.mp3
Part 3: http://audio.mrc.ac.za/stream/src/m3u/Malaria-DrMarahaj-April2009-Part3.mp3

Obtain more information on malaria:

Information on statistics and treatment of malaria                                  
South African Department of Health
http://www.doh.gov.za

Control and burden of disease
World Health Organisation (WHO)
http://www.who.int

Medical advice for travelers
Centers for Disease Control (CDC)                 
http://www.cdc.gov

Research on malaria     
Malaria Research Unit, South African Medical Research Council:
http://www.malaria.org.za

Source:World Malaria Report 2008. WHO. [Online]
Available: http://www.who.int/malaria/wmr2008
Accessed: 23 April 2009.
Author: Portia Motheo, Web and Media Technologies, eHealth Research and Innovation Platform
Article approved by: Professor Anthony Mbewu