The day is celebrated and observed to raise awareness about this life-threatening disease and to encourage people to come together in order to prevent it
Representational image.
World Malaria Day is celebrated and observed on 25 April every year to raise awareness about this life-threatening disease that continues to pose a threat to mankind.
Malaria is caused due to the bite of the female Anopheles mosquito (which is infected with the malaria-causing plasmodium parasite). Almost half of the world’s citizens are at a risk of malaria and the chances of people residing in poor countries contracting the disease are much higher.
According to the World Health Organization’s data, as many as 241 million people were infected with this deadly disease in 2020, with most of these cases reported in Africa. While the WHO has stated that malaria is curable and preventable disease with the correct treatment, many people still die from the lack of access to adequate healthcare.
History:
The day developed from the African Malaria Day. In Africa, governments have been observing Malaria Day since 2001. However, it was only in 2007, during the 60th session of the World Health Organization, that it was proposed to recognise Africa Malaria Day as World Malaria Day and to recognise the impact of the disease worldwide. The first World Malaria Day was held in 2008.
Significance:
The day is celebrated and observed to raise awareness about this life-threatening disease and to encourage people to come together in order to prevent it. The day also allows new donors to join the fight against malaria by organising fund raisers for the initiative. It also aims to bring research and educational institutions to communicate any scientific advancements made regarding the disease.
Many organisations and individuals donate money on this day to initiatives involved in research on malaria. Events and seminars are organized to shed light on the disease, highlight its treatment and what preventative measures can be taken.
Theme:
The theme for this year’s World Malaria Day is “Harness innovation to reduce the malaria disease burden and save lives”.
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