Malaria prevalence: One African child dies every 30 seconds

In Cameroon, at least 30 percent of deaths are caused by malaria, 40 percent of them children below five years

By Eric Venyui in Yaounde

Every 30 seconds, at least one child in Africa, especially sub-Sahara Africa, dies of malaria,
Plan-International has disclosed.

According to a document published by the child-centred international NGO, more than one million people, mostly children, across the world are killed by malaria annually, over 80 percent of them in sub-Sahara Africa. It confirms that malaria remains one of the biggest killers of African children,
accounting for nearly one in five of the continent’s child deaths.

In Cameroon, official figures show that annually, malaria alone accounts for between 45 and 50 percent of medical consultations, 23 percent of all hospitalised cases, 26 percent of absences from work. It accounts for 30 to 35 percent of deaths here; about 40 percent of them children below five years. More than 35 percent of these deaths are recorded in health facilities, and 40 percent of annual household health expenditure is spent on malaria treatments.

In many countries, malaria is treated as a public health threat. And every 23 April, all African
governments and their health partners organise activities to «roll back malaria». Activities on this
day are designed to sensitise the populations of Africa on the dangers of malaria and to seek ways to prevent it from spreading.

Plan-Cameroon is expected to join other community development organisations in the Centre province to organise an open-door event in Akonolinga in the Nyong and Mfoumou division outside Yaounde today to mark the African Malaria Day to roll back malaria.