Malaria kills. Figures from many of the charities working in the fight against malaria suggest that the death rate could be higher than 500,000 annual. As the more vulnerable members of communities suffer the most, this is often equated to the death of one child per minute.
Many organisations are working to find a “cure” for malaria, whilst others are working to protect or mitigate the effects to the population. It is this second approach in which Lazarus Training is trying to make its own modest contribution.
We run a series of first aid training courses for media staff, including for those traveling to remote environments. On these first aid in remote locations courses we discuss travel health including malaria [and other vector borne diseases] with our delegates. We discuss the risks, signs and symptoms and preventative strategies including the use of bed nets. The routine use of bed nets whilst in “malaria areas” is only part of the preventative measures we recommend, but it is a simple option available to media workers visiting these areas. Sadly all too often it is not an option for people living in the region.
A number of charities, such as Malaria No More, have started campaigns to raise funds to purchase bed nets and get them to people who are otherwise unprotected. Lazarus Training is supporting this campaign, for each delegate successfully completing our First Aid in Remote Locations training course we will donate the money needed to purchase a bed net.
We encourage our delegates to see bed nets as only one part of their protection, considering the use of repellents, clothing and anti-malarial tablets to give a fuller picture, but providing a bed net to a local person or family is one practical step we can take whilst the multimillion dollar research is conducted into finding a cure.
So from now delegates on our First Aid in Remote Locations training courses are not just learning to save a life in a traumatic emergency, but can save that they have saved a life just by attending our courses.
To find out more about the fight against malaria visit the Malaria No More website or the Bill Gates Foundation.
To find out more about our training courses follow the links above or call us on 0800 242 5210.