People living in south-east London who plan to visit countries affected by malaria this summer should take special steps to protect themselves.
The call comes from Public Health England (PHE) and African Diaspora for Action Against Malaria (ADAAM), who have urged greater awareness amongst African communities in south-east London in particular, as the summer holidays start. The school summer break commenced for most London schoolchildren this week, making now a prime period for families to travel abroad.
Malaria is still a major health issue for south east London as shown in a recent report which found 4,311 people were confirmed with the infection by local laboratories between 2000 and 2011. Where the borough of residence was known, Southwark had the highest number of cases (1,036), followed by Greenwich (696), Lambeth (599), Lewisham (226), Bexley (189), and Bromley (83). During this period, 93% of all imported malaria cases were acquired in Africa with 90% of these from West Africa. Over half of all cases (57%), where the information was known, reported their reason for travel as visiting friends or relatives.
Dr Rachel Heathcock, PHE London’s local director of health protection for south east London, said:
“Malaria is a preventable disease, so it’s concerning that we continue to see high numbers of cases in people from south east London who have travelled abroad. It is particularly worrying that eight out of ten people who contracted malaria reported not taking anti-malarials during their travels to countries where the disease is endemic.
“It is important for people to be aware of the risks from malaria, which is potentially life-threatening, and the benefits of taking anti-malarial medication, particularly black African people who experience the greatest burden of malaria. Avoiding mosquito bites when abroad is also crucial and measures such as covering up between dusk and dawn, using insect repellents and bed nets can all help.”
Ralph Tanyi, coordinator of ADAAM, added that confusion about immunity is a major reason why people do not seek advice prior to travelling, especially when visiting family and friends.
Often people living in the UK who were born in a country affected by malaria may incorrectly believe that they are ‘immune’ to the disease. The reality is that any resistance they may have once had decreases rapidly as soon as they come to live in the UK.
Other common misconceptions that stop people from taking the necessary precautions are that malaria drugs are too expensive or that they are only going away for a short time. Our advice is that people should not take any risks with their health and should speak to their doctor about medication to prevent malaria, no matter how short the trip. Because of these misconceptions and because malaria is totally preventable, it is vital to raise awareness in south east London.
