The Malaria Vaccination

An end to over half a million premature deaths globally a year?

Objectives:

• What is malaria, its distribution and effects on health?• How does malaria contribute to the development gap and inequality?• How far can a technological fix such as the vaccine help bridge the development gap?

What is Malaria?

• The term ‘malaria’ comes from the medieval Italian ‘mala aria’ meaning ‘bad air’. But it’s a misnomer as in the past it was believed bad air caused the disease

• It is an infectious disease caused by a parasite called plasmodium.

• The parasite’s vector (carrier)is the mosquito • Different mosquitos either like top take blood meals from

humans (anthrophilic) or animals (Zoophilic). The two most common mosquito types in Africa are anthrophilic!

• Can be transmitted from mother to unborn child, through an infected blood transfusion but mainly via mosquito bites.

The physical environment for malaria:

Task 1: List some suitable environments for mosquito larvae to survive.

CHW ©

The Malaria life cycle

Task: Watch this clip about the life cycle of the plasmodium and complete the lifecycle diagram:

Second person infected First infected mosquito

Infected red blood cells Liver infection

First infected person Second infected mosquito

Effects on human health

1st: In the first 12-14 days after infection Malaria can lead to a fever, fatigue, nausea, vomiting, headache, low blood pressure and muscle ache: This can be mistaken for lots of diseases.

2nd: because of the parasite life cycle an infected person can recover then become ill again successively.

CHW ©

2.

3.

4.

1. 5.

6.

Task: Who is likely to be worst effected by these symptoms and why? Think about age, nutrition, development, access to health care, sanitationand general health.

Task: Describe the global distribution for Malaria Using the map above

CHW ©

Task: How might the following information influence the distribution of Malaria?

Public health spending

Medical doctors

CHW ©

Current Medical and behavioural protection from Malaria

The Future: The Malarial Vaccine

Task: In pairs or on your own read the article assigned to you and identify the answers to the following questions

Don’t worry if your article does not answer all the questions- you will all feedback to the

class and can add additional information to your sheet.

1. Who is trialling the vaccine and why?

2. Can the vaccine help those in most need?

3. Will it have an impact on Malarial countries’ development and why?

Ext: Is your article overly positive about the vaccine? Do they assess the outcomes realistically?

CHW ©

Notes on Articles:

CHW ©

Case study: Malaria in Kenya

Task: Write notes- consider what problems are faced, are things getting better, what is the future? Remember facts and figures give weight to your examination answers

CHW ©

Task: Sort the impacts of malaria in Kenya into social, economic, political and demographic effects

• Individuals with malaria earn 44% less than healthy workers• Malaria is the largest killer of children under the age of 5 years• Dependence on aid such as USAID can lead to sudden cut off of aid due to domestic

problems in America• Reliance on Aid to reduce the disease needs international good will• The symptoms of malaria are often considered supernatural so traditional healers are

often used• People will not admit illness due to concerns of losing their job• Women may not be able to go any where un chaperoned so they cannot access

health care• Elders must be informed and decide for the infected person what may be done which

can take some time• Clinics can be sporadic, dependent on NGOs and at large distances• Women cannot be decision makers without threat of being outcast• The less educated are less likely to seek the help of a clinic• 8% of absentees in school are due to malaria• Drugs and clinic visits can be costly• Malaria is a health spending priority in Kenya• Nets are not always used as they are associated with suffocation• A third of people believe malaria is only caught in the rainy season

Social Political Economic Demographic

Players: Also known as stakeholders

CHW ©

Task: Use the speech bubbles to put across each player’s point of view about the malaria situation in Kenya. Do they like the prospect of a malarial vaccine?

Task 6: Is it morally right for pharmaceutical companies to price medicines so they make a profit?

CHW ©

For Against

Homework:

Assess how far the malaria vaccine will help those specific demographic groups that are effected by Malaria.

CHW ©