New Delhi: Climate plays a pivotal role in altering the transmission patterns of malaria, said experts on World Malaria Day on Thursday (April 25). World Malaria Day is observed annually on April 25, to spread awareness about the mosquito-borne disease. This year’s theme is “accelerating the fight against malaria for a more equitable world,” as many people globally have no access to quality, timely treatment, and affordable services to prevent, detect, and treat malaria.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO) in 2022, malaria claimed the lives of an estimated 608,000 people worldwide and there were 249 million new cases.
A 2022 Lancet study on malaria showed that an increase in temperatures could also enable the malaria parasite to develop faster and therefore escalate the transmission and burden of malaria. Even just a 2-3 degree Celsius increase could increase the population vulnerable to the disease by 5 per cent, equating to 700 million more people.
Also Read: World Malaria Day: WHO Calls For Equitable Health Access
Dr Manish Mittal, Consultant Physician, Bhailal Amin General Hospital, Vadodara, told IANS,
Climate shifts play a pivotal role in altering the transmission patterns of malaria, particularly during the monsoon and pre-monsoon seasons from June to November. Fresh rainfall leads to waterlogging and the accumulation of stagnant water, creating ideal breeding grounds for the female Anopheles mosquito, the carrier of malaria parasites. This period witnessed a surge in malaria cases due to increased mosquito breeding in these water bodies.
“Early diagnosis and treatment are paramount in mitigating the impact of malaria, with heightened awareness prompting individuals to seek medical attention for fever symptoms and undergo simple blood tests,” he added.
In a new study, researchers at the University of Florida showed that various mosquito and parasite traits exhibit intermittent relationships with temperature and that under future warming temperatures, transmission potential is likely to increase in some environments but could reduce in others.
The study, published in the journal Nature Communications, also suggests that parasites can develop more quickly at cooler temperatures and that the rate of parasite development might be less sensitive to changes in temperature than previously thought.
Dr Rajeev Boudhankar, Medical Director, Holy Family Hospital, Mumbai, told IANS,
The primary solution lies in avoiding construction sites and ensuring stagnant water is promptly cleared, especially at construction sites. Additionally, households should discard items that collect water, such as pots and old tires, and cover themselves while travelling.
Dr Manish also emphasised employing personal protection methods such as insect repellents and mosquito nets.
Also Read: Second Malaria Vaccine Gets WHO Approval: 5 Things To Know
(This story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
NDTV – Dettol have been working towards a clean and healthy India since 2014 via the Banega Swachh India initiative, which in its Season 10 is helmed by Campaign Ambassador Ayushmann Khurrana. The campaign aims to highlight the inter-dependency of humans and the environment, and of humans on one another with the focus on One Health, One Planet, One Future – Leaving No One Behind. It stresses on the need to take care of, and consider, everyone’s health in India – especially vulnerable communities – the LGBTQ population, indigenous people, India’s different tribes, ethnic and linguistic minorities, people with disabilities, migrants, geographically remote populations, gender and sexual minorities. In a world post COVID-19 pandemic, the need for WASH (Water, Sanitation and Hygiene) is reaffirmed as handwashing is one of the ways to prevent Coronavirus infection and other diseases. The campaign will continue to raise awareness on the same along with focussing on the importance of nutrition and healthcare for women and children, fight malnutrition, mental well-being, self-care, science and health, adolescent health & gender awareness. Along with the health of people, the campaign has realised the need to also take care of the health of the eco-system. Our environment is fragile due to human activity, which is not only over-exploiting available resources, but also generating immense pollution as a result of using and extracting those resources. The imbalance has also led to immense biodiversity loss that has caused one of the biggest threats to human survival – climate change. It has now been described as a “code red for humanity.” The campaign will continue to cover issues like air pollution, waste management, plastic ban, manual scavenging and sanitation workers and menstrual hygiene. Banega Swasth India will also be taking forward the dream of Swasth Bharat, the campaign feels that only a Swachh or clean India where toilets are used and open defecation free (ODF) status achieved as part of the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2014, can eradicate diseases like diahorrea and the country can become a Swasth or healthy India.
