Photo: Malaria medicine distributed by community group Mamas Optimistas in Angola, funded by Soroptimist clubs Denmark

7 April is World Health Day and this year the World Health
Organisation (WHO) is highlighting the serious and increasing threat of
vector-borne diseases, such as malaria, dengue, leishmaniasis, Lyme disease,
schistosomiasis, and yellow fever, carried by mosquitoes, flies, ticks, water
snails and other vectors.

More than half the world’s population is at risk; every
year, more than one billion people are infected and more than one million die
from vector-borne diseases.

 “No one in the 21st
century should die from the bite of a mosquito, a sandfly, a blackfly or a
tick. Simple, cost-effective interventions like insecticide-treated bed nets
and indoor spraying have already saved millions of lives”, says Dr Margaret Chan,
WHO Director-General.

The most deadly vector borne disease, Malaria, kills over
1.2 million people annually, mostly African children under the age of five. Soroptimists clubs in Denmark have been helping to provide
malaria treatment for communities in Angola, supporting a local women’s group
Mamas Optimistas, who buy and distribute the medicine to those who cannot
afford it.

8 Clubs (SI Randers, SI Viborg, SI Hjørring, SI Aalborg, SI Skagen,
SI Mariager Fjord, SI Skive, SI Himmerland) raised about US$890, which was
transferred to the partner organisation in Angola. The clubs hope to raise a
similar amount each year.

 

“In the communities Alto Katumbela and Franca in Angola
(Ganda area) where we have established two water cleaning systems you see a lot
of malaria illness and a high mortality rate. It is possible to buy medicine
for treatment but it is rather expensive and not everyone can afford to buy the
medicine when they become ill. We wanted it to be possible for many more of the
local population to be treated when they had a malaria attack”, explain the clubs
in their Programme Focus Report.

Vector-borne diseases affect the poorest populations,
particularly where there is a lack of access to adequate housing, safe drinking
water and sanitation. Malnourished people and those with weakened immunity are
especially susceptible. WHO is calling for a renewed focus on vector control
and better provision of safe water, sanitation and hygiene.

 

In 2012, Soroptimists undertook or supported 90 projects to help provide access to safe, clean water, including this one (pictured above)
by Soroptimist International Cotonou Doyen (Benin).

The WHO have recently published "A global brief on
vector-borne diseases", which outlines steps that governments, community
groups and families can all take to protect people from infection by
vector-borne diseases.