Malaria and COVID-19

The WHO, healthcare professionals and people living in the most at-risk areas are aware of the impact malaria has on susceptible countries every year. This is the reason why the WHO made a special appeal to all nations at risk of malaria outbreaks every year, especially African countries, to not scale back on pre-planned malaria prevention, diagnostics and treatment activities. 

These strategies - which have taken years of dedication and work to implement in most affected countries - are a key step in reducing the strain on health systems, especially during the rapid spread of a pandemic like COVID-19. It’s understandable that these malaria prevention strategies might not be the focus currently because of the COVID-19 pandemic, but efforts need to be made to ensure that these strategies are not completely abandoned because this could be a cause of concern later for the following reasons.

According to a study published in the Indian Journal of Medical Research in 2018, India has had a positive link with malaria ever since Dr Roland Ross of the Indian Medical Service announced in 1897 that the malaria parasite was carried and transmitted by mosquitoes - leading health scientists to figure out ways to prevent and cure malaria in subsequent years. Still, malaria outbreaks are common in present-day India, especially due to the tropical climate, heavy monsoons and water-logging. 

In 2015, India joined 17 other countries in the Asia Pacific region to endorse a plan to eliminate malaria from the world by 2030. India further pledged to make this plan a reality by eliminating malaria by 2027 - three years ahead of the regional and global target. 

This was a daunting task to begin with, given that India still carries a huge burden for malaria every year. According to India’s National Health Portal, India was able to control the burden of malaria to a large extent with the number of cases declining from 2.08 million in 2001 to four lakh in 2018. This was done through the rigorous pursuit of the National Framework for Malaria Elimination (2016-2030) and the National Strategic Plan (NSP).

Given that India is one of the countries to be affected by COVID-19, and is currently in the second stage of transmission, it’s important for the nation’s healthcare system and government to make sure that this pandemic does not diminish the efforts to contain a recurring disease like malaria. Not only would this overwhelm the healthcare system and claim more lives, but it would also render useless all previous attempts made to eliminate malaria for good.

Despite the rapid spread of COVID-19, it’s important to continue all possible preventive measures and strategies against a malaria outbreak in India as well as other countries with a heavy burden of the disease. The following are some vital steps you must take to prevent malaria:

• Avoid stagnating water or water logging around in and around your homes.
• Eliminate all breeding grounds of mosquitoes in and around the house.
• Use mosquito repellent creams, sprays, liquids, coils, etc to prevent mosquito bites.
• Screen your houses, especially doors and windows, with wire meshes and nets.
• Use bed nets or mosquito nets while sleeping at night.
• Call your local councillor or municipal department if you see mosquito breeding in and around your home.
• If you observe any symptoms of malaria in yourself, a loved one, or anybody in the neighbourhood, call the doctor or emergency health services.

While healthcare workers and medical staff all over the world ramp up their efforts in the battle against containing the spread of COVID-19 that has claimed several lives across the globe, it is important to keep in mind other diseases and infections plaguing a certain region. Malaria, for instance, is a common occurrence in tropical countries, including India.

The ongoing trials to treat COVID-19 patients also includes medications used to treat patients suffering from malaria, and an increased load to treat the current global pandemic may also result in a shortage for the disease it is originally meant for. Governments and authorities, at this time, must focus their attention on not only containing the COVID-19 pandemic, but also prepare themselves adequately for all possible eventualities, including a malaria outbreak in the coming summer months and the monsoon.