Melanie's Blog - The Itinerate Mom

Well, much has happened in the 4 weeks since I left Vermont.

I've rejoined the Maine work force and can scarcely tell I've been gone 14months.

My yahoo account was hacked and someone in Nigeria scammed money from friends, eradicated all my contacts and now I cannot get yahoo mail.

I've reclaimed my work blog so now I spend Saturdays blogging there, almost to the exclusion of thinking about blogging here. I have a couple ideas in my brain but they're not here yet.

Here was my work post from today:

World Malaria Day, April 25, 2013

The theme for 2013: Invest in the future. Defeat malaria.

Why worry about malaria from the comfort of my armchair sitting in Augusta, Maine?

Malaria is endemic (maintained in a population) in many parts of the world with temperate or tropical climates. Veterans and Department of Defense (DoD) personnel may contract malaria while on overseas deployments in certain parts of Asia, Africa, and Central and South America. Malaria should be considered if symptoms suggest the diagnosis in individuals who have served in Korea, Operation Enduring Freedom (Afghanistan/Horn of Africa or surrounding countries), Operation Iraqi Freedom (rare occurrence), or any other malaria-endemic country within the past decade.  Malaria is a reportable illness to the Center for Disease Control.

Headline from 17 years ago:

Malaria: Military Enemy No. 1

By Douglas J. Gillert
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON

July 30, 1996 – In the 15 years since the epidemic began, health organizations estimate between 2.5 million and 5 million people have died from AIDS. During this same time frame, malaria killed nearly 50 million.

http://www.defense.gov/News/NewsArticle.aspx?ID=40760

Headline TODAY, April 2013:

…….we are not there yet. Malaria still kills an estimated 660 000 people worldwide, mainly children under five years of age in sub-Saharan Africa. Every year, more than 200 million cases occur; most of these cases are never tested or registered. A recent plateauing of international funding has slowed down progress, and emerging drug and insecticide resistance threaten to reverse recent gains.

http://www.who.int/campaigns/malaria-day/2013/event/en/index.html

To see how malaria affects Veterans:

http://www.publichealth.va.gov/exposures/infectious-diseases/malaria.asp