Disease Control and Education Plan

Malaria Control and Public Education Plan Name Institution Course and Code Professor Date Malaria Control and Public Education Plan Malaria is among the topmost devastating diseases in human history, responsible for over 40% of the global mortality and morbidity. Despite being preventable and treatable, the disease continues to pose a significant public health challenge globally. This report will address the impact of malaria on populations, historical outbreaks, community handling and control, public education objectives, government initiatives, and proposed measures for reducing health risks. Prevalence As per the latest World malaria report, there was an increase of malaria cases from 244 million to 249 million in 2021 and 2022 respectively (WHO, 2023). In 2022, there were an estimated 608,000 malaria deaths, a slight decrease from the 610,000 reported in 2021. In 2022, the African region continued to bear an unfairly large portion of the global malaria burden, hosting approximately 94% and 95% of all malaria cases and related fatalities. In the region, about 78% of all malaria deaths was contributed by children under the age of 5 (WHO, 2023). Approximately 50% of malaria deaths globally were concentrated in 4 African nations: Mozambique (4.2%), Nigeria (26.8%), Uganda (5.1%), and the Democratic Republic of the Congo (12.3%). Historical Outbreaks Malaria outbreaks are thought to have occurred since the dawn of civilization. As one of the most extensive diseases, malaria has caused countless deaths and is thought to have contributed to major military defeats and the disappearance of some countries. The earliest malaria descriptions appear in the Ebers Papyrus around 1500 BC and from 2700 BC in ancient Chinese medical records (Talapko et al., 2019). Notably, Alexander the Great is believed to have died from malaria. Malaria presence within all layers of society is evident from the afflictions suffered by prominent figures such as Albrecht Dürer, Christopher Columbus, George Washington, and Cesare Borgia. Ancient interpretations attributed malaria to supernatural forces, with deities like Nergal and Beelzebub linked to its symptoms (Talapko et al., 2019). However, in the 4th century BC, Hippocrates suggested that malaria was caused by swamp vapors, a belief that endured until 1880 when Alphonse Laveran discovered the malaria parasite, for which he was awarded the Nobel Prize in 1907. Handling of Disease In my community, malaria control evolved significantly with a focus on understanding its transmission and implementing preventive measures. Initially, the main purpose of preventing malaria spread was to ensure the health of workers and soldiers supporting conflict-driven endeavors. The main prevention efforts included building appropriate housing, reduction of mosquitoes (e.g., traps, fumigation, and screening), elimination of the parasite reservoir, and drug prophlaxis like quinine (Prinzi & Rhode, 2023). These efforts were relatively unsuccessful and enormously expensive and demonstrated the necessity for more economical strategies to malaria prevention. Consequently, th...