Because of GlobalGiving Donors, well over 70 project beneficiaries received new insecticide-treated mosquito nets to fight against malaria in Sierra Leone since our last report.

Over the past 9 months or so, a lot of effort and focus has been placed on addressing the Ebola epidemic.  This has diverted efforts to control malaria in the region. Because some of the symptoms of both diseases (such as fever) are similar, many infected people have been misdiagnosed. Their deaths could have been prevented had they taken the simple precaution provided by the use of bed nets.

According to MSF, "More than 3,000 deaths and 10,000 cases suggest it is Ebola, but the right answer is malaria.   In 2013, there were more than 1.7 million cases of malaria in Sierra Leone, a small country in West Africa with a population of six million. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), 4,326 people died of the disease (malaria) that year.

Meet Kadima and Haja - recent mosquito net recipients (pictured).  Haja and Kadima live in a family house at Mellon Street in the Wellington community.  Haja is the mother of Kadima. They had been yearning for a bed net for a long time. They were very happy to receive bed nets to help them sleep better - and be protected against mosquito bites and malaria.  Your support made this possible.

Haja asked us to pass on her gratitude to our GlobalGiving Donors for the very welcome and timely gift. She said - “I have been worried about my child’s health due to mosquito bites - especially so in this Ebola crisis. That stress has been lifted due to the provision of bed nets. I really want to thank you.” She further said "sleep has been different now for me and my daughter".

Thanks to YOU, many of the under-5 year old children who are most at risk are now able to sleep safe and sound. 

However, hundreds of families are still at risk sleeping with no nets or with damaged nets in the Wellington community. We need to provide each family with 2-3 nets. Your continued support will help us provide this life-preserving gift to them today!  Thanks so much for your support!

Best Wishes,

Develop Africa team

Links:
- Sierra Leone: Malaria - the other epidemic

- Develop Africa Blog Post - REMEMBER MALARIA whilst fighting Ebola