Malaria is endemic in most parts of Africa. Not one West African can say that they have never treated malaria in their life. Nigeria alone accounts for over 25% of all malaria deaths in the world as of 2020. 7 in 10 Nigerians, are at risk of having malaria at least once a year.

With this high transmission rate and all the stagnant water, garbage, and dirty canals around, it is no surprise that most people fall ill with malaria several times a year. 

As a Pharmacist, I get a lot of patients treating malaria almost every month or bimonthly. They come with complaints that they have not been exposed to mosquitoes, so why do they have malaria? Or they already used malaria medicines a few months ago and the malaria is back. Are you one of them? Here are 9 reasons why it seems like you are always treating malaria!

• You do not have malaria 

A lot of people claim to know their personal malaria symptoms. Once they have a cold and fever, they claim it's malaria without doing any tests and start using antimalarials. Surprise surprise, a week later the symptoms start again. You probably just have a viral code and not malaria. The WHO advises that antimalarials be used only after a positive malaria test! If it is inconvenient for you to visit a lab and get a test done, there are several easy-to-use home tests that give results in 10 to 15 minutes.

• You did not use your malaria medicines properly

You see that 8-hour or 12-hour interval that your Pharmacist tells you about is very important! Malaria medicines can be time-sensitive and even food sensitive. Always follow your Pharmacist's instructions and ask questions if you don’t understand. Do not self-medicate and ensure you complete it even if you feel better before the last dose.

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• You took the wrong dose

This is especially important for children. Most antimalarial medicines are dosed by weight. If you take a lower dose for your weight range, the medicine won’t work. Always let your Pharmacist know your weight so they can recommend the appropriate dose. 

• You took the wrong drug

I have seen cases of people using antibiotics and painkillers to treat malaria. Of course, it would not  work. Speak to a Pharmacist if you think you may have malaria symptoms and let them recommend the appropriate therapy.

• The malaria parasite is resistant to the medicine

 Resistance is now widespread to a lot of malaria drugs. An example is chloroquine which is no longer recommended for treatment with some exceptions. Also in some cases, you may have a high concentration of the parasite in your system that you will need to use intravenous treatment or multiple-dose regimens.

• The medicine may be substandard

Nigeria still has a lot of unresolved issues around fake drugs. Antimalarials are also one of the most widely faked because of how rampant their use is. This is why it is important to buy your medicines only from a registered Pharmacy like us! Please desist from buying medicines from roadside vendors or hawkers on the bus.

• Drug interactions

Medicines can interact with other drugs, supplements, or food you may be taking. Always let your Pharmacist know of all the other medicines you are on before you start your malaria treatment regimen.

• Your immunity is compromised

The malaria parasite usually attacks the red blood cells and destroys them which can lead to anemia. Also, malaria is associated with a decrease in white blood cells which affects immunity and can cause recurrent infections. This is why it's very important to eat a healthy diet when treating malaria. Multivitamin supplements can also be used after malaria treatment to prevent this.

• You got re-infected

After treating malaria, it is important you take measures not to get bitten by mosquitoes again. Clearing out stagnant water, using mosquito repellents and insecticide-treated nets are all measures that can prevent mosquito bites and subsequent reinfection.

So next time you think you keep treating malaria too much, ask yourself these questions and you may just find the reason why your medicines did not work.

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