Regardless of where you live, everyone in this part of the world is prone to malaria. So it’s more important to take steps to prevent the disease. You can prevent malaria by following the A-B-C-D of malaria prevention.
A: Awareness of risk – be aware of what Malaria is, and how you can be infected (just like you are learning now, and share with friends and family)
B: Bite avoidance – take steps to avoid getting bitten by mosquitoes, especially between dusk and dawn.
C: Check – if you need malaria prevention tablets (especially if you live outside malaria prone regions)
D: Diagnosis – see a doctor straightaway if you have any symptoms of Malaria.
The key to preventing malaria is to avoid being bitten by mosquitoes. To ensure that you should…
1. Use an insecticide mosquito net over your bed at night. This is a net that has been treated with chemicals that kill mosquitoes. They are safe for humans. Make sure it’s tucked in under the mattress and that there are no holes in it.
2. Spray your room often with an insecticide before you go to bed.
3. Wear loose-fitting tops with long sleeves, trousers and socks if you’re out at dusk or at night. You can also wear clothes that have insect repellent already in them. Light colour clothing is better because the mosquitoes like dark areas.
4. Apply a reliable insect repellent containing diethyltoluamide (DEET) to your skin and clothes. Your local pharmacy can advice on a good one.
Related Article: What Happens Inside You When a Mosquito Bites You
5. Cover bedroom doors and windows with fine mesh netting. Use air-conditioning or a fan in your room, as mosquitoes are less active in cooler temperatures.
IMPORTANT: Mosquitoes thrive very well in humid, hot corners. This means an environment with constantly wet grass, collected water in cans (rubbish), puddles and stagnant water, etc will provide egg laying conditions and breed more mosquitoes. Keep doors and windows clear of things that mosquitoes can hide in. This way they cannot easily get into rooms to bite you.