Origin Of Malaria

Malaria is often regarded as the oldest  human disease. It is also a disease  of the poor because malaria is widespread in poor countries like Haiti, India, and countries in sub-Saharan Africa.

 Originally, malaria was thought to come from smelling marshes, which is why the disease was given the name malaria. (Mal-bad, aria-air) which means bad air. Unlike HIV/AIDS, which is a viral disease, malaria is a tropical disease caused by the blood parasite, plasmodium, which is transmitted by female anopheles mosquitoes. MALARIA affects infants and adults. Children less than 5years and pregnant women are especially at risk of the disease. To avoid mosquito bites, we should keep our environment clean, avoid stagnant water deposits, fumigate occasionally and sleep under treated nets. It’s also not out of place to go for periodic check up to access anti malaria treatments.

Okoroafor is in Community Secondary School, Kalio Ama in Okrika Local Government Area of Rivers State.

By: Onyinyechi Okoroafor