Image used for representation.
Hamad Medical Corporation (HMC) has urged people to take preventive measures against malaria, especially as many residents plan their summer vacation.
In recognition of World Malaria Day and in support of the World Health Organization’s (WHO) call to improve access to life-saving prevention tools, HMC has started raising awareness.
Although malaria is not endemic in Qatar, hundreds of cases are diagnosed every year as a result of residents traveling to malaria-endemic countries, says experts. This year’s global theme for World Malaria Day, observed each year on April 25 (today), is ‘End Malaria for Good’. In the lead-up to the day, the WHO is highlighting the importance of prevention as a critical strategy for reducing the toll of a disease that is thought to be responsible for more than 400 000 deaths each year.
Dr Hussam Al Soub, Senior Consultant of HMC’s Infectious Diseases Unit said, “People who have resided in Qatar for a long time and other malaria-free countries (countries where there is no continuing local mosquito-borne malaria transmission) may have lowered immunity to malaria and are thus vulnerable to serious illness.”
Malaria is caused by parasites that are transmitted to people through the bites of infected mosquitoes. It can be a deadly disease, affecting millions of people each year and resulting in hundreds of thousands of deaths annually, mostly in sub-Saharan Africa, according to the WHO.
Malaria transmission is more intense in warmer regions closer to the equator. However, even in countries where malaria is endemic, the risk of transmission can be reduced by avoiding bodies of water and staying in mountainous regions.
“Simple precautions can help prevent infection during visits to malaria-endemic areas, such as using mosquito repellent creams and mosquito nets (particularly insecticide-treated nets), wearing long sleeves and long pants to cover your skin, and avoiding going outside at night,” said Dr Al Soub.
