World Malaria Day (WMD) is commemorated on 25 April to recognise global efforts to control malaria.
Theme 2015: “invest in the future: defeat malaria”: This year coincides with the United Nations Development Programme’s Eight Goals for 2015*. One of these goals is to combat malaria – 64 countries are on track to reverse the incidence of malaria and 55 countries are on track to reduce their incidence rate by 75% as part of Roll Back Malaria targets.
There are several challenges that impede progress to fight malaria. Priceless gains can be lost in a single mosquito season if there is a lack of funding for malaria programmes, education and healthcare. WMD aims to raise awareness of the disease, how to protect yourself and how we can combat it across the world.
Malaria Facts
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Half the world’s population (3.2 billion people) are at risk of malaria
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In 2013 the total deaths globally from malaria was 584,000
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One child is killed by malaria every minute
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90% of all malaria deaths are in sub-Saharan Africa.
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40% of all malaria deaths occur in Nigeria and the Democratic Republic of Congo
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Since 2000, deaths from malaria have halved.
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Estimated 4.1 million lives saved as a result of malaria interventions in the highest risk, under-five age group in sub-Saharan Africa.
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US$5.1 billion is needed every year. Current total funding is US£2.6billion (less than half).
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By 2013 there had been 198 million cases of malaria worldwide.
Founder of incognito® Howard Carter is one of those cases – he caught malaria on a trip to India in 1997 despite taking a DEET-based insect repellent and anti-malaria tablets. That significant event started a long and worthwhile journey to invent a natural insect repellent that really works. The incognito® anti-mosquito spray and roll-on are 100% effective against mosquitoes and clinically proven to protect against malaria, when used in conjunction with an impregnated mosquito net. So he is proud to raise awareness of malaria on WMD.
When Howard went to India, he felt pretty safe and secure: “I was a bit nervous of catching malaria, so I went along to a travel clinic and the doctor recommended I take a malaria prophylactic as well as all the usual shots like typhoid,” he says. He used the DEET-based insect repellent recommended to him when he travelled to Cochin, Kerela, for New Year – a low risk malarial area at a low risk time of year.
On New Year’s Day, Howard and his partner had dinner outside in the tropical evening. She gestured him to look down at his shirt – it was in shreds. The DEET had dissolved his shirt and he had received many mosquito bites. “I believe mosquitoes have built up resistance to many pesticides such as Deet and it no longer affords 100% protection, otherwise why was I bitten?” he says.
The bites itched like mad – but worse than that, he soon found he had contracted malaria. And on the New Year bank holiday weekend there was no doctor available.
Howard had a nightmare 1,000 mile journey including a flight back to Mumbai to receive medical treatment. He was delirious with a high temperature of over 103 degrees, hot and cold sweats, vomiting and diarrhoea.
Howard says: “I was sure it was malaria and had to press the doctor on this as he was convinced it was something else. If malaria is treated within two weeks it will probably not re-occur. I consider myself lucky that they caught it in time.”
“I contracted malaria in a low risk area after taking all the NHS and a travel doctor’s recommendations, I now know that around 1 in 10 people who take anti-malarial tablets contract malaria! So I want to raise people’s awareness that anyone can get malaria, even in some parts of Europe; remember to take proper precautions against getting bitten – the only surefire way of protection against all mosquito-borne diseases – even in minimal risk areas!” He says.
The best cure is prevention: incognito® is born
“Like many other mosquito borne diseases; the best cure is prevention. So, the seed was firmly planted in my mind that I was going to find something that really worked against all mosquitoes and was safe for humans and the environment; thus incognito® was born.”
That has led to a lot of awards including, we are proud to say, the Queen’s Award for Enterprise for Sustainable Development this week! This was made to incognito for applying ethical standards to developing the first insect repellents to be just as strong as pesticides but made with completely natural ingredients, saving thousands of litres of pesticide from entering the environment.
“It has taken me over 10 years to develop a spray that is clinically proven to protect against malaria and I am very proud that it is helping people all over the world. It has been a long journey but worth every step of the way. Now I can go into any jungle and not get any bites thanks to incognito®”, says Howard.
While there are no cases of malaria in this country, the fact incognito is clinically proven to protect against malaria in studies shows how strong and effective this natural insect repellent is. The best protection is prevention!
“When I look back now, I really didn’t have a clue about many things, including how to protect myself from mosquitoes. Sure, I took along maximum strength Deet, wristbands and a torch, but what I really needed was a good mosquito net; nothing that you put on or plug in will protect you all night from getting bitten.”
In honour of World Malaria Day (and winning the Queen’s Award for Enterprise) incognito are offering 15% off all their products when you use the code INCOGNITO15 online. This includes the incognito spray and roll-on which are both clinically proven to protect against malaria, when used in conjunction with a mosquito net. We also supply long lasting impregnated (LLI) bed nets as well as non-impregnated for disease-free areas.
Our Durallin-impregnated mosquito nets have 365 holes per inch and last for three years – and as part of the ‘net for a net scheme’ every time you buy a mosquito net from us we send one to a village in Africa. We donate 10% off our profits to charity every year too so help us help the world and buy incognito today!
World Malaria Day is hosted by Malaria No More
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*Millenium Development Goals from the United Nations Development Programme: Eight Goals for 2015
1 Eradicate extreme poverty and hunger
2 Achieve universal primary education
3 promote gender equality and empower women
4 reduce child mortality
5 improve maternal health
6 combat HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases
7 ensure environmental sustainability
8 develop a global partnership for development