Mozambique: Malaria stalks young African children
Malaria is responsible for more deaths in children under five than any other disease in Africa. Aside from stealing lives and breaking hearts, malaria is an economic burden on families already struggling to survive.
In central Mozambique, Satalia, a mother of four, mourns the death of her little girl. Cintia was one of the thousands of Mozambican children killed by malaria this year, and Satalia fears losing another child. Malaria is particularly deadly for children under five years of age.
“Cintia was a beautiful baby girl,” remembers Satalia, “she was only eighteen months when this terrible disease suddenly took her away from us. There is no worse nightmare a mother can go through. I now fear for my surviving children, every single day!”
A killer at the door
Satalia goes on to describe her harrowing dance with a killer that’s always near the door. “Every two weeks I have to rush to the health centre with one of my children, praying that I don’t end up loosing them, as has so often happened to other people around here.” This makes it difficult for her to finish daily chores and work as a farmer, growing the only food the family has.
“I grow maize,” Satalia says, with an attempt at a smile, “our staple food here. Without my going to the field there is no food. Very often that’s what happens, because I have to try and balance between farming and looking after my sick children.” Satalia’s eyes swell up with impeding tears.
“From my lost baby, I now know now tell-tale symptoms of malaria; as soon as I see one of my children shivering with fever, vomiting and with diarrhea, I know it is malaria and I just run to the health centre.”
Bed nets: A sure bet
Satalia composes herself and stares into the open. “We would like to have one thing we don’t have: bed nets. I hear they help prevent malaria.” Mosquito nets, designed to hang from the ceiling and over the bed, are a proven ally in the fight against malaria.
One of the best-known champions of bed nets is Bishop Dinis Sengulane, Chairman of the World Vision Advisory Council and also of the “Roll Back Malaria Initiative” in Mozambique. “Prevention must be the norm, the rule,” he says. “We must succeed in our efforts to have every Mozambican child sleep under a bed net”.
Making bed nets widely available to communities is a priority for World Vision, in partnership with Mozambique’s Ministry of Health. The agency also conducts awareness trainings, equipping people with knowledge. But the plight of people like Satalia is a reminder of the distance still to cover in poverty stricken Mozambique.
Malaria “getting stronger”
The statistics speak volumes. In January and February of this year, for instance, Satalia’s area recorded close to 4,500 malaria cases, in an area with only 48,000 inhabitants.
Alda Tembo belongs to a group caring for orphaned and vulnerable children. “We know that at least 26 children (in our area) died because of malaria last year. Many of them were under five.”
“The small ones just succumb”
“We have always had malaria,” says Ragi Foia, a beloved and respected local leader. “But the disease seems to be getting stronger and more resistant to the conventional forms of treatment. Our children and even adults can hardly overcome this. The small ones just succumb.”
While bed nets remain the most important weapon in the fight to prevent malaria, there are other “small” things people can do. World Vision supports government-led activities to raise awareness in communities, including the elimination of mosquito breeding sources such as standing water.
