6 November
Commemoration of Southern African Development Community (SADC) Malaria Day on 6 November every year aims to create awareness about malaria and mobilise the community to participate in the malaria control programmes.
Communities are mobilised through health education to:
- recognise signs and symptoms of malaria
- provide more home-based treatment
- seek treatment when they become ill
- use personal protective measure.
Facts about malaria
- Malaria is a life-threatening disease caused by parasites that are transmitted to people through the bites of infected female mosquitoes.
- About 3.2 billion people – almost half of the world’s population – are at risk of malaria.
- Young children, pregnant women and non-immune travellers from malaria-free areas are particularly vulnerable to the disease when they become infected.