J.B. Russell Images

In the rainy season, from June to September, the majority of health issues treated at health centers in Burkina Faso are related to malaria. Burkina Faso is one of the ten countries the most affected by malaria in the world and malaria is the country's deadliest disease. Pregnant women and children under five are particularly vulnerable to the disease. According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), in 2017 there were an estimated 219 million cases of malaria in 87 countries. Africa carries a disproportionally high share of the global malaria burden with 92% of malaria cases and 93% of malaria deaths. Considerable financial, human and logistical resources must be mobilized to fight malaria. Dr. Landaogo Ouedraogo, the General Secretary of the Burkina Faso ministry of health, says that changes in rainfall, flooding, drought and shifting seasons due to climate change could favor the development of malaria in new regions, further complicating the existing challenges in the fight against malaria such as growing resistance to insecticides and medications, requiring governments and health workers to adapt their strategies.