Hitting malaria where it hurts : household and community responses in Africa

This article explains why, in the face of increased funding for malaria programmes, the disease incidence shows little signs of abating. In sub-Saharan Africa nearly a million people die as a result of malaria. The article draws attention to the cultural, social and economic contexts in which communities deal with the consequences of malaria. Health systems, services and infrastructures are generally inadequate and fail to deliver proper care. Malaria can also be perceived as a mild illness and used to hide more stigmatising health problems. The paper advocates focusing on the 'normality' of malaria, and exploring the social and economic contexts that shape household and community responses to malaria