Malaria

I wanted to cover malaria in a separate page, because after I looked at the statistics, noticed it is
one of the most sought after information in my blog. So, here are some facts, hope you will find them useful and informative.

What is Malaria
Malaria is a disease that is caused by the Plasmodium parasite, which is transmitted from a person to a person by a particular type of mosquito.

How is Malaria Transmitted
The female mosquito called Anopheles is the only mosquito that transmits malaria. Anopheles bites between the hours of 9pm and 5am, which is why sleeping under a mosquito net at night is such an important method of prevention.





Malaria Symptoms

Symptoms begin 10 days to 4 weeks after infection, although a person may feel ill as early as 7 days later. It is very important to be aware of the symptoms of malaria if you are travelling to areas where there is a high malaria risk (see below). Symptoms include:
  • a high temperature (fever)
  • sweats and chills
  • headaches
  • vomiting
  • muscle pains
  • diarrhoea
Treatment

If you live in or travel to Nairobi, hospitals are highly experienced, so you have an access to most accurate testing. Blood test take 10 minutes, and anti malarial drugs are available in any pharmacy.
 test gives the result in ten minutes. Make sure to provide all necessary information to the doctor.

If malaria is diagnosed and treated promptly, everyone will make a full recovery. There should not be any waiting period once the diagnosis has been confirmed.


However the most vulnerable people are the ones who are uninformed about the disease, and when they go back home, they think it is a flu (it has flu/cold like symptoms).

Please note: Antimalarial medication is used both to treat and prevent malaria. Doctor will decide on what type of medication is used and the length of treatment.

Basic Preventive Methods

1- Make sure to use treated mosquito nets: this would be the most basic advice probably I can give as a person who has been living in Nairobi for two years. You can find treated mosquito nets most of the local shops, such as Uchumi or Nakumatt.

2-Using repellents: You can even spray your room around 6pm, make sure to leave the room after spraying. You can also use repellents, they are highly effective and can be found in any pharmacy or local shop.

3- Make sure to cover up at nights. It is recommended to use long light color trousers and sleeves at night. Remember anopheles are active after 5pm.

4- If you travel, make sure to carry antimalarial drugs with you. If you suspect that you have the disease and not around a medical center, do not waste your time, start taking the drug immediately.
Please speak to your doctor if you are planning to visit an area where there is a malaria risk. It may be recommended that you take antimalarial tablets to prevent infection

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