The world’s passion to help those in distress was justifiably roused following the Indian Ocean tsunami.  But less well known is the continuous “silent tsunami” of malaria in Africa (and in some other parts of the world) that takes more than 1.5 million lives per year, mostly among young children and pregnant women. This means almost 3 lives per minute are lost from an easily preventable and treatable disease.   

According to the Africa Malaria Report-2004, the disease continues to take its greatest toll on very young children, mostly under the age of five, and pregnant women south of the Sahara. New analysis confirms that malaria is the principal cause of at least one fifth of all deaths of young children in the region. In endemic countries, as many as one third of all clinic visits and at least a quarter of all hospital admissions are for malaria.  

Malaria is by far the world’s most important tropical parasitic disease, and kills more people than any other communicable disease except tuberculosis. In many developing countries and in Africa especially, malaria exacts an enormous toll in lives, in medical costs, and in terms of days of labour lost. It is a public health problem today in more than 90 countries, inhabited by a total of some 2 400 million people ie 40% of the world’s population. Worldwide prevalence of the disease is estimated to be in the order of 300-500 million clinical cases each year. More than 90% of all malaria cases are in sub-Saharan Africa.

The geographical area affected by malaria has shrunk considerably over the past 50 years, but control is becoming more difficult and gains are being eroded. Increased risk of the disease is linked with changes in land use linked to activities like road building, mining, logging and agricultural and irrigation projects. Other causes of its spread include global climatic change, disintegration of health services, armed conflicts and mass movements of refugees. The emergence of multi-drug resistant strains of parasite is also exacerbating the situation. Via the explosion of easy international travel, imported cases of malaria are now more frequently registered in developed countries. Unfortunately malaria is re-emerging in certain areas where it was previously under control or totally eradicated.

Missionary Mandate Vs Malaria Mandrake

It is a fact that there is hardly any one - no matter indigenous or expatriate - who live in potential malaria terrains and was not affected by this ordinary but sometimes deadly decease. Especially for the missionaries who never “tasted” this mandrake in their home lands, malaria experience can provide unforgettable and haunting experiences. Cerebral malaria and loss of life due to malaria among the missionaries were not rare events in the early missionary history in Africa. Although the situation now has improved very much, a missionary in Africa is never totally free from malaria. Some even call the first attack of malaria as the “baptism in Africa”.  It has become very much part of the missionary life in most of the African counties. Malaria attack is not any more shocking or frightening for it is like one of the very common and ordinary events in life here. Yet sometimes it can be deadly.

May all the missionaries be daring enough to face the dart of this disease with determination! May God protect all his people from all deadly deceases!