By Denis Edema
Malaria has been identified as one of the top killer diseases among children under the age of five years in Buikwe District, according to health officials.
Dr Richard Bossa, the Buikwe District Health Officer (DHO), said the disease contributes to 30 percent of deaths among children below the age of five years.
“As far as the district is concerned, 30 percent of the deaths in children under the age of five years is caused by malaria; so, by these statistics, we find it very important that we have to fight this disease,” Dr Bossa said on Tuesday.
He further explained that the main cause of malaria is a conducive environment like water bodies, slums with poor houses, forests, humid environments, and sugarcane plantations, among others, which he said favours breeding of mosquitoes.
According to Dr Bossa, expectant mothers, too, are prone to malaria if they do not sleep under treated mosquito nets.
Ms Agnes Nakkazi, a Senior Medical Clinical Officer at St Francis Hospital, Nyenga, said malaria can be transmitted from an expectant mother, through the umbilical cord, to the unborn baby if the mother has not been treated well.
She added: “One of the reasons why expectant mothers get miscarriages is because a small fetus or baby is born with malaria parasites. All the nutrients or what keeps the baby alive in the womb of the mother is through the umbilical cord.
“So, when there is malaria in the mother, it is not good because it can cause infections in the system, often leading to a miscarriage and death.”
Ms Nakkazi said the first prevention against malaria given to an expectant mother, is that when she visits hospital or clinic, she is given fansidar tablets from the second trimester monthly until she delivers to avoid passing on malaria to her unborn baby.
