The following post was written by Thabsile Sithole, North Star Alliance Peer Educator at the Ngwenya Roadside Wellness Centre in Swaziland
I want to share this as you know that today is World Malaria Day. I’m Thabsile Sithole, the peer educator at North Star Allaince’s Ngwenya Wellness Centre in Swaziland. As a peer educator I want to encourage people to visit their health centres/ hospitals for a check-up and treatment whenever they see the following early warning signs and symptoms of Malaria:
- Headache, fever shivering attacks, painful joint and muscles
- Nausea and vomiting
- Loss of appetite
- Abdominal pains
If you are experiencing the above signs, visit any health centre for a rapid diagnosis malaria test which gives results within 30 minutes.
On the other hand, people can prevent themselves from Malaria infection through:
- Taking prophylaxis when travelling to malaria endemic places
- Sleeping under treated nets
- Using mosquito repelling sprays, soaps and creams
- Seeking early treatment to prevent further spread of malaria
- Spraying of houses and getting rid of stagnant water as mosquitoes breed there
I hope that people will take this advice from today onwards to prevent malaria as people living with HIV or AIDS are at increased risk of malaria infection and can suffer from more severe reactions.
From all of us in Ngwenya, and at North Star Alliance, have a safe and informative World Malaria Day. For more information on Malaria, watch the World Health Organizations World Malaria Day video highlighting progress made, and steps needed to move forward.
