Nearly 550,000 annual malaria deaths are attributable to underweight in children less than 5 years of age, according to global burden of disease data. While underweight children had only a slightly increased risk of a clinical malaria attack, the data on mortality risk in underweight children were dramatic.
Mildly malnourished children were 2 times more like to die from malaria than children who are not undernourished, while moderately malnourished children were 4 times more likely to die. Severely malnourished children were 9 times more likely to die.
While the risk of malaria mortality increases with the severity of under-nutrition, most child deaths occur in only mildly to moderately
undernourished children, because of the high prevalence of children of this nutritional status in many countries.
The present strategy for malaria control, adopted by the Ministerial Conference on Malaria in Amsterdam in 1992, is to prevent death, reduce illness, and decrease social and economic loss due to the disease . Its practical implementation requires two main tools: first, drugs for early treatment of the disease, management of severe and complicated cases, and prophylactic use on the most vulnerable population (particularly pregnant women); second, insecticide-treated nets for protection against mosquito bites. Each tool has its own problems in regard to field implementation.
Chloroquine remains the first-line therapy for malaria. However, the alarming increase in resistance in eastern and southern Africa requires that sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine replace chloroquine as the first-line drug. Currently, 20% to 30% of strains are highly resistant (RIII) with in vivo levels of 40% to 60%. Resistance has been spreading westward, attaining levels of 20% to 35% in West Africa. Chloroquine remains the drug of choice in most of sub-Saharan Africa.
Resistance to mefloquine, another first-line drug, developed in the early 1980s, was noticed soon after its introduction and is now almost at the same level as chloroquine.
Sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine (Fansidar, Hoffman la Roche) is the second-line drug in many countries of West and Central Africa, but so much resistance appears to be rising in countries of East Africa that atovaquone is being developed as a replacement. Intravenous quinine is still the main therapy for cerebral malaria, although resistance is increasing. Development by the African strains of malaria parasites of the pattern of drug resistance now seen in Southeast Asia would be a major disaster.
E7 was developed to build and maintain health through intelligent nutrition. Our strategy is simple and cost-effective.
The Elixir 7 Purification System
The Elixir 7 system purifies the body, destroys the malaria parasite and replenishes the body with micro nutrients essential for recovery from almost every illness.
Our body requires 40 nutrients which cannot be made within the body; these include essential fatty acids, vitamins, minerals and amino acids. From these nutrients our bodies synthesize over 10,000 different compounds essential to the maintenance of optimum health.
Research shows that most diseases are produced by an under-supply of various combinations of nutrients and these missing nutrients which allow illnesses to develop have been discarded in most processed and refined foods.
The Challenge of Malaria Control to Communities and Governments
The best tools will not necessarily lead to malaria control. African populations have traditional perceptions about disease causation and management. Some diseases are considered suitable for management by western medicine, while others are considered the exclusive domain of local traditional health practitioners.
Decisions to seek western medicine for any illness are often considered a last resort. Studies on health-seeking behavior, perceptions of malaria, treatments, and decision making for health care at the household level are crucial to malaria control. Such studies must be accompanied by improved public awareness of the importance of seeking appropriate treatment and complying with recommended regimens.
Management of disease in the household devolves on mothers. Fever remains the most recognized symptom of malaria. We strive to work with community health centres, Government health agencies, NGO's and Women's groups. We feel that mothers should be taught to recognize the symptoms of malaria, to provide home management, and to know when to refer cases to health centres.
Widespread zinc and vitamin A deficiencies in malaria endemic regions
contribute to growth faltering and compromise a child’s ability to fight infection. Zinc improves growth and enhances the body’s ability to respond to infection, and vitamin A plays an essential role in the immune response and is believed to be necessary for host resistance to malaria. Researchers stress that strategies to reduce the global malaria burden must include integrated nutrition programs that address growth faltering and improve the micro nutrient status of young children.
Our E7 nutritional Supplement is an integral component of our malaria initiative. Malaria caused by Plasmodium falciparum remains a major cause of morbidity and mortality among African children. New cases of malaria, primarily due to P. falciparum, are annually observed in the world, with 90% in Sub-Saharan Africa, and these account for an estimated one million children deaths. Furthermore, resistance to drugs and insecticides used to fight this disease has hampered malaria control efforts.
Children and adults living in malaria-pandemic areas often have a high prevalence of malnutrition and deficiencies of micro nutrients such as vitamin A and zinc; this situation creates a complexity of interactions with serious health consequences.
Vitamin A is essential for normal immune function, suggesting that it could play a role in protection against malaria. Zinc is essential for many biological functions such as protein synthesis, growth and immunity. Vitamin A metabolism requires normal zinc status, explaining the frequent association of their deficiency.
Beneficial protective effects of vitamin A or zinc on malaria-related morbidity have been demonstrated in Papua New Guinea, Peru and Zanzibar. Two randomized, placebo-controlled trials conducted in Ghana (both reported in a single publication) did not find an overall significant effect of vitamin A on malaria parasitemia rates or parasite densities although the studies showed a reduction of 23% and 32% of probable malaria illness in supplemented children.
Malariacure@gmail.com
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