Malaria

Yesterday as I was walking I saw a billboard and read out loud. My guide Halida told me it said free mosquito nets for pregnant women and babies. At first I didn't really understand the implications of this but then after talking to a physical therapist at the Amani Center I got the bigger picture. Apparently, Malaria is rarely fatal but it can cause severe neurological damage to a young child. For example epilepsy, cognitive impairment or learning disability and 1 out of 10 children affected by celebral malaria actually suffer from these problems. One reason is that the virus alters the blood flow in the brain causing oxygen deprivation.

He also said that Malaria as well as consequences at childbirth are the two major reasons for the number of disabled children in the Morogoro area. It's a big worrisome since both can be diminished simply by better healthcare. So back to the billboard: handing out free mosquito nets to pregnant women and children not only decreases the the risk of Malaria but also much greater problems in the future.Thumbs up to Mosquito nets for pregnant mothers and small babies!