Eradication/Elimination of Malaria from Sierra Leone
Is this feasible? YES. Malaysia eradicated it successfully after Independence.
How? It cannot be done by Sierra Leoneans alone working exclusively within Sierra Leone because mosquitoes will fly in from Guinea and Liberia – particularly the deadliest Plasmodium Falciparum transmitted by the female Anopheles contributing to cerebral malaria, etc.
Sierra Leone Government has a 2009 to 2015 Strategic Plan for Malaria Control & Prevention; I am uncertain about its implementation and monitoring for effectiveness
All African countries between The Tropics of Cancer and Capricorn must be involved co-operatively under an AFRICAN UNION umbrella.
Successive governments had been trying without much success – from decades ago spraying of our open gutters and stagnant pools with DDT, long-lasting insecticidal(mosquito) nets, quinine then chloroquine and now artemisinin-based combination therapy, antibiotics, etc., to the smoking coils, indoor residual spray cans, etc., we have today – these efforts are what I regard as fairly good but only reactive.
The infection cycle continues.
Although I am not a medical doctor, pharmacologist or bio-medical professional, I must warn against using FANSIDAR, either as a prophylactic or as a cure without the benefit of a dedicated and highly experienced and knowledgeable medical practitioner competent enough to deal with any unpredictable repercussions
I suggest more aggression about adding the proactive and preventive which the present APC Government has resurrected(Lt. Col. Andrew Juxon-Smith had started similarly) – better public hygiene with cleaner streets, no stagnant pools including no clogging of gutters with glasses, cans, bottles, plastics, bricks, sand, and other insoluble causing effluent stagnation wherein mosquitoes lay their eggs.
This is where we the public must contribute – government must be expected to do everything for us! How about developing apolitical Voluntary Sector Organisations in every political constituency to support Government about this?
Repairs of these gutters are essential with modifications to ensure positive unidirectional flows and better drainages or filling-in of stagnant pools on all estates – public and private, in order to arrest and counter proliferation of infection cycles, morbidity, and, mortality – are all essential.
Eradication/Elimination of malaria also contributes to increased economic output and better quality of life.
Seton During, UK
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