Kenya combats malaria
October 23, 2012
Project goal: Research the connection between climate change and malaria epidemics, develop early warning systems
Project size: around 20 million Kenyans are at risk of contracting malaria
Project volume: $550,000 for a special climate change fund
Project assessment so far: Creation of a database on the spread of malaria, identification of groups at risk, widespread distribution of mosquito nets and targeted use of mosquito repellents
In the Kenyan highlands, malaria is spreading faster than ever. Frequent rainfall has created ideal breeding conditions for mosquitoes especially as temperatures at night rarely drop below 16 degrees Celsius. According to the World Health Organization, 650,000 people died of the disease in 2010. In the county of Kericho in southwestern Kenya, workers on tea plantations are falling ill at an alarming rate. That is why the WHO is trying to arm people against malaria by offering educational courses, where participants learn how to detect the disease’s early warning signs. The “Kenya NGO’s Alliance Against Malaria,” or KeNAAM, has also joined the effort, distributing mosquito nets, spraying repellent and building local health centers.
A film by Holger Trzeczak