Malaria
Written by: Wahida Sabir
Malaria is a serious and sometimes fatal disease caused by a parasite that commonly transfers by a certain type of mosquito which feeds on humans.
According to the information provided by National Malaria and Leishmanial control Center in Kabul city, about 4000 malaria
patients are registered in the last three months only in Nangarhar province.
AEPO’s writer/producer has talked to some malaria-infected patients and a physician about the causes, symptoms, and treatment of this disease.
Mirwais Khan, a resident of Takhar province says, “This is my third time that I infected with the malaria parasite. I am suffering from chills fever.”
Rohamah, a resident of Ahmad Shahbaba Mena, District 13th of Kabul city says, “I had insomnia, anorexia, and chills and when I went to the doctor, and they tested my blood and told me that I am infected with the malaria parasite.”
Doctor Dr. Muhammad Naeem Habib, the technical coordinator at the Leishmanial and Malaria Control Center in Kabul city talks about this disease, “Malaria is a dangerous but controllable disease. Symptoms of the disease include fever and chills, headache, bone pain, anorexia and sometimes diarrhea, and if not properly diagnosed and treated, the disease can lead to cerebral malaria, which can lead to death.”
What do some people think about the causes of malaria disease?
A woman from Qarabagh district, Kabul province says, “There is a ditch near our home and many mosquitoes accumulate in it. Among them are mosquitoes that transmit malaria and Leishmaniasis parasites to the resident of our area.”
Muhammad Gul, a resident of Smangan province says, “Our residential area is very hot and there are many water ditches and the mosquitoes of those ditches caused us malaria.”
Doctor Habib says, “Malaria is caused by biting by Anopheles mosquitoes and these mosquitoes are living in water ditches and dark place and they attack after sunset till sunrise.”
How do some people treat malaria disease at home?
A woman from Chaharasiab district, Kabul province says, “We prevent Malaria patient from eating greasy foods and give him/her the water of boiled chicory roots.”
Spozhmai says, “We give lemon or orange juice, doogh, (mixture of water and yogurt), liquids and also we put some prunes in watermelon at night and give them to the patient in the morning.”
Doctor Habib says, “Home remedies are not effective for the treatment of malaria but liquids can reduce fever. When a patient has the signs and symptoms of malaria, he/she should be treated by a physician and this disease doesn’t have any diet but the patients must eat more iron-rich vegetables.”
How people prevent the spread of malaria parasites?
A woman from Laghman province says, “I pay attention to the cleanliness of my home and I regularly spray the rooms with insecticide.”
Wahida, a resident of Hilmand province says, “None of our family members is infected with malaria parasite because we use a mosquito net for sleeping and there is no way for mosquitoes and other insects to enter our living room.”
Doctor Habib says, “The only way to prevent this disease is the drainage of water ditches; cleaning streams and removing weeds from them; using net for windows and door; us insects spray and sleeping in mosquito net at night.”