Paludism is the most widely spread parasitic disease in Africa. It is particularly serious with the child and the pregnant woman whose foetus survival is at risk. However, it is a world disease with about 500 millions people thought to be infected every year, 90 percent of whom live in Africa. As such, the death toll amounts to 1,5 million people every year due to paludism. And children less than 5 years old pay the highest price.
It is believed that each year, 23 million pregnant women suffer from paludism, causing many complications such as premature birth, foetal death, maternal death, anaemia, miscarriages, babies of small weight and later, complications for the children, namely, convulsions and epilepsy.
Taking care of the pregnant woman requires preventive measures and correctly treating serious attacks of illness.
The WHO recommends action at 3 levels:
1. The use of pesticide impregnated mosquito net;
2. Preventive treatment at regular time intervals: 2 to 3 doses of a combined treatment during pregnancy, a low cost medicine;
3. Efficient treatment of bouts of malaria.
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