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Every year on April 25th, we observe World Malaria Day. For some, it's just another health awareness day. But for millions of people around the world, especially in parts of Africa and Asia, malaria is a daily struggle. It’s a disease that continues to killover 600,000 people every year, most of them children under five.

We often think of malaria as something from the past. But the reality is different. In 2022 alone, there were 249 million cases globally. While the disease has become less visible in cities and wealthier areas, it’s still deeply rooted in rural villages, forests, and places far from hospitals or help.

This day isnt just about remembering malaria. It’s about asking: Why does it still exist in so many parts of the world, and who is it affecting the most?

What Really Causes Malaria?

We know the basic sciencemalaria is caused by a parasite, passed on through the bite of a female Anopheles mosquito. It enters the body, multiplies in the liver, then infects red blood cells. The symptoms—fever, chills, vomiting, and exhaustioncan become deadly if not treated in time.

But theres more to it than just mosquitoes.

Malaria tends to expand where life is already difficult. Places with dirty water, poor drainage, uncollected waste, and lack of proper housing make the perfect home for mosquitoes. These conditions are common in low-income areasnot because people don’t care about their health, but because they don’t have the means to protect themselves.

Access to mosquito nets, clean surroundings, and proper treatment isn’t available to everyone. So the real causes of malaria often lie not just in nature, but in poverty, lack of resources, and limited access to healthcare.

The Bigger Picture

Over the last few decades, there has been progress. Organizations like the World Health Organization and the Global Fund have made huge efforts to reduce malaria. Between 2000 and 2015, deaths dropped significantly. But in recent years, that progress has slowed down.

There are many reasons behind this.

For one, many malaria-prone regions are remote, with few doctors and clinics. Some are affected by conflict, making it hard for help to reach. Others are not prioritized because they don’t have strong political influence or media attention. And when funding from international aid becomes uncertain, local health programs suffer.

Climate change is also playing a role. Warmer temperatures are allowing mosquitoes to move into new areas—places that were once safe from malaria. The disease is appearing at higher altitudes and in regions unprepared for it.

Meanwhile, research continues and vaccines have begun to roll out, but they are not yet widely available. And even with good tools, without strong health systems and support at the local level, they can’t do much.

The story of malaria is not just about a disease. It’s about how some communities are consistently left behind in the bigger picture of development.

Who Suffers the Most

• Children under fiveare most at risk—their bodies aren’t strong enough to fight off the infection.

• Pregnant womencan develop complications that affect both them and their babies.

• Migrant workers,who travel and often sleep outside, are more exposed.

• Tribal and indigenous communities,living in deep forests or isolated areas, often don’t have access to prevention or treatment.

• Refugees and people in conflict zones,where basic services have collapsed, are especially vulnerable.

Most of these people have one thing in common—they live in places where poverty is high and help is hard to find. In many ways, malaria reflects deeper issues in our society. Where people don’t have clean water, electricity, or stable income, diseases like malaria find space to grow.

A Fever That Tells a Bigger Story.

World Malaria Day is not just about remembering the past. It’s about recognizing the present. The presence of malaria in the world today isn’t just a medical failure—it’s a sign of larger gaps in our systems.

It’s a reminder that until every child, in every village, has the same chance at life and health, diseases like malaria will continue to return.

And so, this isn’t just a day to talk about mosquitoes or medicines. It’s a day to talk about the kind of world we’re building—and who gets left out of it.

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