Malaria's Rain, Remedy and Resilience

The Fight Against Malaria in Ndegeya

What Is Malaria?

Malaria is a serious illness that people get from being bitten by certain types of mosquitoes. These mosquitoes carry tiny parasites that enter your body when they bite you. Once inside, the parasites travel to your liver, grow, and then move into your blood, where they make you sick.

People with malaria usually start to feel sick about one to two weeks after being bitten. The most common symptoms are fever, chills, headache, and feeling very tired—almost like having the flu. If malaria isn’t treated quickly, it can become very dangerous and even life-threatening, especially for young children and pregnant women.

The Remedy

When it comes to treatment, the community clinic in Ndegeya uses artemisinin-based combination therapies (ACTs) to treat uncomplicated malaria cases. For more severe infections, second-line drugs like artemether, quinine, and artesunate are used, either as oral medication or injections. These treatments have been helpful in managing the disease, but there are still many challenges that make it difficult to fully control malaria in the area.

Challenges

One of the biggest hurdles is the lack of treated mosquito nets. Many people either don’t have mosquito nets or don’t sleep under the treated ones that can protect them from mosquito bites at night. Some families don’t even have enough bedding, which leaves them even more vulnerable. On top of that, many community members don’t have enough information about how malaria spreads or the best ways to prevent it. This lack of awareness means that people don’t always take the precautions that could protect them and their families.

Vector control, which involves reducing the mosquito population, is another challenge. Although some measures exist in Uganda, many people in Ndegeya can’t afford to buy pesticides to spray around their homes. This makes it easier for mosquitoes to thrive close to where people live. Housing conditions also play a role—many homes are poorly built and lack proper ventilation, allowing mosquitoes to enter easily. Additionally, many families live near bushy areas, swamps, or forests, which are ideal breeding grounds for mosquitoes.

"Every mosquito bite avoided brings us closer to a malaria-free world"

Shaban Walakira, nurse at the Ndegeya clinic

What is Done and  is Needed

So, what can be done to improve the situation? The community clinic has been working hard to educate people about malaria—how it’s caused, how it spreads, and what steps can be taken to prevent it. Health education is crucial because when people understand the risks and the ways to protect themselves, they are more likely to take action. Another important step is distributing treated mosquito nets to families who don’t have them. This simple intervention can significantly reduce the number of malaria cases.

Community clean-up efforts are also making a difference. By clearing bushes and draining stagnant water around homes, the community reduces places where mosquitoes can lay their eggs. Providing pesticides to families to treat waterlogged areas can further help lower mosquito populations, but this requires support and resources.