Ohhh, what a world! filled with sicknesses and pains. But, I have come to find out that sickness varies from one country to another. Here in Nigeria,there is this sickness that most people suffers monthly. Yes, 90% of it's citizens can't live without treating it per month. The ailment seems minor but, it claims the lives of many per hour. And the worst of them all is that, our country's citizens now sees it as normal sickness that many doesn't care to take preventive measures against it.

You may wonder the type of ailment am referring to. To understand, follow me as I will unveil it.

The ailment

The name of the sickness is malaria. It's not a virus 🦠neither is it a bacteria. Therefore, both can't cause it. Below is the cause👇.

Causes of malaria

freepik picture of infected female Anopheles mosquitoes
Malaria is a life-threatening disease, cause by plasmodium parasites which are transmitted or spread through the bite of an infected female Anopheles mosquito. So, one could be infected through animal bites and insect stings(once those animals are infected), through unsterilized infected needle and unscreened blood transfusion.

Malaria symptoms

There are different species of plasmodium. So, the severity and symptoms varies base on the plasmodium. The symptoms include:

• Fever
• Headache
• Chills
• Sore lips
• Sleeping
• bitter mouth
• Sweating
• Flu-like symptoms
• Nausea
• Vomiting
  please note: The symptoms varies according to body system. As for me, once am infected by malaria, the main thing I do experience is rigor, fatigue and restlessness.
  

How common is malaria in my city or street?

Aba is my city, and from my observation, it's my people's main ailment. it's too common here that people doesn't regard it as serious sickness anymore. Infact, malaria runs in their veins to the extent that even after treating malaria, go to check-up, and you must see malaria in your blood. If you ask your doctor or medical personnel why? he or she will say "it's normal". Too bad!. That is why just in the year 2020 alone, it claimed the lives of 627,000 people's worldwide. Ignorance is too bad.

Preventive measures

To prevent malaria from harming us, we need to take some preventive measures such as:

• Sleeping under insecticide treated net
• Always fumigate our house and environs
• Source reduction: mosquito breeds in standing waters round the house. so, it's essential to empty all water containers, pits, holes and clogged gutters around our house.
• Always apply insect repellent: when applied on the skin, clothes or other surfaces, it prevents mosquito from perching on them. Meaning that it will prevent your skin from mosquito bite/stings.
  

My personal anti-malarial drug

For years, malaria do affect me monthly or once in 2/3 months. But, in the year 2020, January precisely, I took an anti-malarial product from NRI COMPANY. The name of the product is **D3 ORGANIC SUPPLEMENT (Immune booster). Ever since then, My God Jehovah kept malaria faraway from me till date. (over 2 years now).

Conclusion

My fellow steemians, let's do our best to prevent ourselves from mosquito bite. Let's not wait for those in authority to take the lead. Let's fight for our wellbeing. It's for our benefit.