Example Essay About Africa Diseases: Malaria
In the world today, there are many problems that have plagued the 21st century as we know it. From global warming to terrorism, the world is not the same as it used to be. Diseases play a big role in the major issues of the world. Diseases can affect anyone at any time and they kill off thousands to millions of people each year. A big issue is diseases in Africa. In some parts of Africa, it is not as well developed and they don’t have as much technological and medical advances as we do.
There is a multitude of diseases plaguing Africa, like Pneumonia / Lower Respiratory Tract Infections, the Measles, HIV / AIDS, and Malaria. Malaria affects a wide range of countries and people every year, but in Africa, they can’t treat it as well and Malaria ends up being a big contributor to the number of deaths in that region. Malaria has been addressed, and scientists have been working for decades to find a solution for this huge problem to end.
Malaria has been one of the leading causes of death in Africa for decades. This is such a big problem because it affects countries populations greatly and hurts Africa as a whole. Malaria affects more than 500 million people annually and is the cause of death for about 1 to 3 million of those diagnosed cases. “Over one million people die from Malaria each year, mostly children under five years of age, with 90% of Malaria cases occurring in Sub-Saharan Africa.” (UNICEF) Malaria has become a household name and poses a threat to many people, killing millions without mercy.
“Nearly half of the world's population is at risk for Malaria, and it is one of the world’s deadliest diseases.” (Blanchfield) The impact of malaria is huge as it affects a large number of Africa’s population. Malaria derives from a specific type of mosquito called the Anopheles, and it tends to attack at night. Malaria usually thrives in subtropical areas. This disease is a parasitical infection with protozoan parasites that belong to the genus Plasmodium and transmits the infection into your bloodstream and eventually ends up with the victim having parasites in their bloodstream. The first recorded case of Malaria was in 1880 when Charles Louis Alphonse discovered the Malaria parasites. Malaria is a large issue that plagues the world, and we need to figure out an end to this problem.
Researches and Studies
Researchers and scientists have been studying for years for a way to stop or at the least reduce Malaria. One solution that could possibly work to stop Malaria is to use insecticides. “Insecticides have always been an effective method for eliminating pests; however, these chemicals have the potential to kill and poison other animals if used incorrectly. For example, malaria was eliminated from Europe and the U.S. with DDT (Dichloro-Diphenyl-Trichloroethane).” (Ford) Malaria has tried to be eradicated with insecticides but with that comes another cost of hurting and possibly killing other species. “There are five key pillars to WHO's strategy to prevent malaria: Universal coverage with measures that target the adult mosquito vector: long lasting insecticidal nets (LLINs) or indoor residual spraying (IRS).” (Ranson)
Another possible solution to Malaria is long lasting insecticidal nets (LLIN) or indoor residual spraying (IRS). The nets will keep all mosquitoes out, but it’s not realistic to cover a large area of land in a mosquito net. People who live in more subtropical areas where this disease is more prominent, they could have coverage from the nets when they are outside. Indoor residual spraying is the process of having someone spray the insides of a house with in an insecticide that will kill the mosquitoes that carry Malaria.
This is a pretty effective method, but not the most effective because it will last a while to protect against the mosquito, but there is no promise for how long it will last and once you step outside, you are at risk from the mosquitoes once again. Another possible solution to this disease would be getting better care for it. Malaria usually thrives in subtropical areas, so Africa is like a breeding ground for this disease. In Africa, there are a lot of places that do not have the best technology, medicine, and access to doctors. A lot of places are on the poorer side and don’t have access to the care that they should.
The solution would be building more hospitals and getting more doctors with new ideas and solutions to help the people that are affected by this disease. With the new doctors, they would be able to help the victims of Malaria to lessen the death toll. Better sanitation and hygiene would also help because Malaria can also be spread by blood and needles. This solution is personally my favorite because it the solution that would be the most realistic to achieve. It is the best possible solution because it would help the lessen the big number of people that pass from this yearly, and the building of new hospitals and having new doctors will help people with other diseases as well. There are many solutions to Malaria, but none are sure to end this epidemic for good.
Malaria is a huge issue that plagues people in many countries around the world. With so many possible solutions, we are still without a remedy for this problem. In the last solution discussed, which includes building new hospitals and getting new doctors with new medicines, and better sanitation could be a possible solution to this epidemic. It seems to be a reasonable and effective way to address the effects of Malaria. In conclusion, Malaria is a huge dilemma with so many possible solutions for a cure, we just need to take action and put these solutions into play to stop this disease from killing millions.
