It is the rainy season and cases of malaria are bound to increase because mosquitos are in their happy place. Especially the female Anopheles mosquito which carries the plasmodium falciparum parasite; the one that is responsible for transmitting malaria in humans. This is because they have access to ponds and humid weather, which are ideal breeding grounds.
Malaria is a huge problem all over the world, and in Nigeria especially. It kills an estimated 300,000 people every year (more than any other country in the world). To put this in perspective, about 215,000 people die per year from aids in Nigeria.
It seems you shouldn’t need much persuasion to make sure that you stay malaria-free during this period. Especially now that a deadly pandemic is making the rounds. This is also especially important for pregnant women. Malaria accounts for about 11% of maternal mortality in Nigeria.
You may not have been aware that people actually still die from malaria in this country. That the few instances that you treat malaria and you get better every year, some don’t. What then can you do to make sure that malaria stays far away from you during this period? Let’s see if we can find out, shall we?
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Tips for keeping Mosquitos out of your home
To keep yourself and your family from coming down with malaria, you need to make sure mosquitos are kept away from your house. Here are some practical ways you can do that:
1. Get rid of stagnant water around your house.
The female mosquito lays its eggs directly on or near stagnant water or soil that may be around your house. The eggs hatch to become larvae which becomes a pupa, and then the adult mosquito emerges from the water in about 2 days to a week (or a month, depending).
A simple way to remove mosquitos from your property is to make sure no stagnant water is near your house. No place to breed equals no mosquitoes.
2. Avoid Mosquitos by using deterrents
For a mosquito-free environment, mosquito deterrents can be effective. Insect repellent sprays or creams and insecticide-treated mosquito nets are options. Also, mosquitos are less attracted to light-colored clothing. So do not wear colored clothing, and make sure they are long and free if you are out for a stroll in a mosquito-infested area.
3. Preventive drugs
If you live in an area that is particularly susceptible to mosquito infestation or traveling to such an area, you can take drugs to prevent the disease. If you are pregnant and you are staying in a malaria-endemic area, WHO recommends preventative treatments administered intermittently {sulfadoxine/pyrimethamine (SP)}.
Stay safe!
You can see that you can stay mosquito and malaria-free by following a few simple steps. But if it so happens that you do get malaria, make sure to go to a professional for tests and treatment, do not self medicate! Taking care of yourself is your responsibility, don’t shirk it. Stay safe
