Pedal power: Community health workers in Ivory Coast take to their bikes to tackle malaria in remote villages

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According to the WHO, 94% of malaria cases and 95% (580,000) of malaria deaths occur in sub-Saharan Africa, with children under five years of age most affected and approximately 80% of account for malaria deaths in the region.

Malaria is endemic in Ivory Coast, which is among the top 10 countries with the most cases of the disease. According to the WHO malaria report, the West African country, with a population of about 28 million, was responsible for 3% of all malaria cases worldwide in 2022.

In an effort to tackle the disease, a team of about 8,300 community health workers equipped with bicycles have become key players in reducing malaria deaths among children under five by diagnosing and treating the disease earlier. Early diagnosis also means that children who need more extensive care can be referred to public health centers early enough.

Equipped with bicycles and medical kits, thousands of community health workers in Ivory Coast are fighting malaria by cycling between remote villages to treat children and educate families, reducing cases by as much as 70% in some areas so far this year.

With progress in curbing malaria stalling worldwide in recent years, the World Health Organization is using World Malaria Day 2024 on April 25 to try to re-accelerate the fight against the mosquito-borne disease that kills around half a million children every year .

Community health workers like François Kouadio, 46, himself a father of six, are supported by Save the Children and a group of local partners to ensure families affected by malaria are reached in a timely manner.

Trained as a community health worker in 2015, he conducts blood tests on children to test for malaria and, if positive, treats them with paracetamol and malaria tablets. He also cares for pregnant women in the village, so that their risk of malaria is minimal.

Because a community health worker lived in the same village, Prisca was able to quickly seek help from François. Thanks to the early diagnosis and treatment, combined with François’ daily visit to the family, one-year-old Charlene* was saved from malaria and can play with her brothers again.

Thanks to the bicycle, François has been able to scale up his work in recent years and he visits up to eight families a day within a radius of five kilometers. He cycles on unpaved roads to rural villages where brick houses stand among green forests. He checks whether children are sick, ensures appropriate treatment and at the same time increases awareness about malaria and how you can prevent it.

François’ hard work and dedication have earned him respect within the community, where people even call him “Doctor.” Every sound of the bells on the bicycles that François and three other community health workers use brings comfort to the people in the villages, knowing that healthcare is accessible.

“I was so afraid that my daughter would die if she was sick,” Prisca said. “(But) my family could see that the medications were working, and we are confident in the treatment. The community health workers are very kind, they give us the tablets for free, and the children are recovering from their illness. great job bringing comfort to the people of the village.”

said François From January to March this year, he tested 31 children with fever, 24 of whom tested positive for malaria and received treatment. This was a huge decrease compared to previous years.

“In the past, between 20 and 30 children were recorded with malaria in a month alone, but with more awareness about malaria, almost everyone now sleeps under a mosquito net and malaria cases have dropped significantly.” he said.

François said people shy away from visiting health centers due to lack of funds, but he is committed to caring for children and raising awareness about how to prevent malaria after seeing too many deaths from the disease. He encourages people not only to get appropriate treatment, but also to protect themselves by using mosquito nets, keeping homes clean and covering water storage containers.

Local radio stations are also part of Ivory Coast’s efforts to fight malaria, broadcasting messages on how to treat and prevent the disease. Overall, the goal in Côte d’Ivoire is to reduce malaria incidence and mortality by at least 75% by 2025 compared to 2015.

Malaria is a disease spread by female mosquitoes infected with parasites. If left untreated, it can be fatal. In 2022, there were an estimated 249 million cases of malaria worldwide, with children under the age of five being the most vulnerable. The infection can also lead to significant risks during pregnancy.

Dr. Yssouf Ouattara, Project Director of Save the Children’s Malaria in Ivory Coast, said:

“Malaria is preventable and curable, but without access to care it can become deadly – ​​especially for young children. Innovative community health projects like Save the Children’s in Côte d’Ivoire are important because community health workers are able to see and treat children at home and in communities, leading to vastly better outcomes.”

Save the Children has been active in Ivory Coast since 1991, in the areas of education, health and nutrition, child protection and children’s rights, and the fight against child poverty. The malaria project is being implemented in approximately 53 health districts in the country and in more than 1,270 health areas, in collaboration with six other organizations.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Save the Children.