World Malaria Day is celebrated as an international health awareness day which held every year on April 25 and is recognized for global efforts to control malaria.

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According to the World Health Organization (WHO), no significant gains were made in reducing malaria cases in the period 2015 to 2017. The estimated number of malaria deaths in 2017, at 435 000, remained virtually unchanged over the previous year.

World Malaria Day is an effort taking place across the world. The day is one of eight official global public health campaigns currently marked by the World Health Organization, along with World Health Day, World Blood Donor Day, World Immunization Week, World No Tobacco Day, World Tuberculosis Day, World AIDS Day, and World Hepatitis Day.

WHO joins with other partner organizations in promoting this year’s theme “Zero malaria starts with me”. This theme underscores the collective commitment and energy of the global malaria community around the common goal of a world free of malaria.

World Malaria Day gives people the chance to learn and promote the efforts made to reduce and prevent Malaria around the world.

What Do People Do?

Organizations like the World Health Organization helps in coordinating and directing authority for health, actively play a role in supporting and promoting the World Malaria Day.

The activities and events that take place on or around the Day are often joint efforts between governments, communities, non-government organizations, and individuals.

Without urgent action, the major benefit in the fight against malaria is under threat. On this World Malaria Day, WHO helps through investment and expanded coverage of proven tools that help in prevention, diagnoses, and treatment of malaria.

Many people, as well as not-for-profit organizations and commercial businesses, use the day as an opportunity to donate money towards key interventions of malaria. Many fundraising events are also held to support the treatment, prevention, and control of malaria.

Many newspapers, magazines, and websites as well as radio stations and television, may use World Malaria Day as the chance to promote or publicize the awareness campaigns about malaria.

What is Malaria?

Malaria is defined as a life-threatening and mosquito-borne blood disease which is caused by a Plasmodium parasite and is transmitted to humans through the bite of an Anopheles mosquito.

Once an infected mosquito bites a person, the parasites multiply in the person’s (host’s) liver before destroying and infecting the red blood cells of the body.

Malaria can be controlled and treated with early diagnosis. But however, some countries lack the resources to make it effective.

There is no vaccine is licensed for use in all across the world.

Symptoms of Malaria:

Malaria infection is generally characterized by the following signs and symptoms:

• Fever

• Chills

• Headache

• Nausea and vomiting

• Muscle pain and fatigue

• Sweating

• Chest or abdominal pain

• Cough

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