World Malaria Day: Help Fight a Killer

Mary Hennigan is a senior technical advisor in health for Catholic Relief Services. Mary is trained in nutrition and supports country offices in implementing high-quality nutrition and child health programming. Mary's primary interest in malaria is its devastating impact on maternal and child nutrition. Her interest in health began in the 1970s when she was assigned to the Dominican Republic as a Peace Corps volunteer. While there, she worked with CRS and its local partner Caritas. It was in working at the community level with CRS, Caritas and local parishes that she gained a great appreciation for the work of the Church in using limited resources while producing large-scale results. Mary is a graduate of Tulane University's School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine. Prior to CRS, she worked on health and nutrition activities for a variety of U.S.-based organizations.

Mary Hennigan is a senior technical advisor in health for CRS. Photo by David Snyder for CRS

Elizabeth Griffin:

Approximately how many people die from malaria each year, and in what countries is the disease most rampant?

Mary Hennigan:

Every 30 seconds a child dies of malaria—mainly in Africa—and sadly the deaths could be prevented if the parents had access to low-cost and effective prevention and treatment. According to the World Health Organization, there are about 250 million malaria cases and approximately 1 million deaths every year. For many African countries malaria is the leading cause of death among young children and mothers. Each year approximately 200,000 infants suffer growth and development problems as a result of their mothers having malaria during pregnancy.

The WHO reports that 109 countries throughout the world are affected by malaria. Through large-scale national commitments, some countries—like the United States—have been able to reduce or eliminate malaria. However, many countries are still affected by the disease, mainly in Africa, but also in Asia, Latin America and the Middle East.

Griffin:

What are the symptoms of malaria? How does it manifest itself?

Hennigan:

Malaria is a parasite that is carried by a mosquito. The mosquito bites at night as its victims sleep. The symptoms include fever, headache, chills and vomiting, and they usually appear 10 to 15 days after a person is infected. If malaria is not treated promptly with effective medicines, it can cause severe illness and is often fatal.

Griffin:

Is the disease preventable? If so, how?

Hennigan:

The disease is very preventable with low-cost, effective solutions. Increasingly, households with small children and pregnant women are receiving long-lasting insecticide-treated bed nets. In 2007 Catholic Relief Services Kenya demonstrated that more than 90 percent of households in the Mbeere district were placing children under these nets as a result of a five-year child survival project funded by the U.S. Agency for International Development. Households reported far fewer incidences of malaria as a result of bed net use. These nets cost only a few dollars, and if used each night, can protect children and their families from mosquito bites. They are being distributed in many areas along with improved treatment. But still this is not enough.

Destined for an antimalaria program in Niger, these bed nets will be a part of a large program which aims to have pregnant women and 80 percent of children under 5 years old sleeping under treated mosquito nets by 2012. Photo courtesy of Sumitomo Chemical

The Roll Back Malaria Campaign, a global framework to implement coordinated action against malaria, estimates that "providing access to prevention and treatment to every person at risk will cost between $5 and $6 billion per year over the next 12 years, which is more than four times the annual funding that was available for malaria in 2007." Starting this month, CRS, with funding from the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, will oversee the distribution of 3 million treated bed nets in Niger.

Griffin:

What kind of impact does malaria have on communities and livelihoods?

Hennigan:

Malaria costs approximately $12 million each year in direct losses to African countries and untold amounts to households in lost wages and opportunities. Malaria kills pregnant women leaving their young children at risk. Malaria often occurs during the peak agricultural times, thus farmers often miss days of working in their fields.

Griffin:

How long has CRS been involved in the fight against malaria?

Hennigan:

CRS has been involved in the fight against malaria since our inception as an agency. In the early days we provided malaria drug support to Catholic health clinics. By the 1990s we were addressing malaria as part of our child survival activities—by helping people identify danger signs of malaria in children and helping them get access to treatment. One key message to parents is that children who suffer from malaria need more food because malaria causes anemia and malnutrition. Today, nearly 70 years later, our programming has evolved. Promoting strong community ownership in the fight against malaria is at the core of our programs. We have a broad base of Church partners, ministries of health, and local and international nongovernment organizations to help us.

Griffin:

How is CRS making a difference?

Hennigan:

Today, CRS is fighting malaria in more than 15 countries. In India we have helped more than seven dioceses promote community-based detection and treatment of malaria.

In the Kassai area of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, we are working under a USAID child survival grant with both faith-based clinics and public government clinics that have the means to treat malaria. More than 140,000 children are benefiting from the program.

In Benin, through funding from the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, we are supporting more than 1 million young children who receive improved medical treatment and prevention activities. In addition, we are joining forces with other faith-based organizations in the United States to raise public awareness about malaria.

These are just a few of the countries where CRS maintains its malaria programs.

Griffin:

How can CRS supporters help?

Hennigan:

Be mindful that over the next 20 years, malaria can be reduced and even eliminated, but it will take a much broader and stronger commitment at all levels. Urge Congress not to give up on the fight against malaria—it is a long-term process. And we can use our voices as Catholics to speak out for those who are losing their lives. Finally, provide financial support to agencies like CRS so that we can continue to fight malaria around the world.

Elizabeth Griffin works as the director of communications for CRS and is based in Baltimore, MD.