Malaria. Such a pretty word. Like a flower. Or a skin product. But of course there is nothing pretty about this ruthless killer disease. So what’s the problem? Well, it's transport. There are wonderfully effective drugs and nets but they don't spontaneously fly through the air and deliver themselves.
In some places, there is almost no escape. Everybody has it. It may not always kill you, but it will always make you seriously ill. Violent headaches, nausea, dizziness and disorientation.
You can barely see, the can hardly stand and you most certainly will not be able to work. Imagine the effects on the family, with the children ill and the bread-winners effectively disabled. And in Africa everyone is a bread-winner because bread is so hard-won.
So what’s the problem? Well, once again, it is transport. The drugs and tools are available, the problem is getting them to the people who need them in places so remote it might take days to walk to the nearest clinic.
The programmes we support train and provide reliable transport to motorcycling health workers who are able to reach villages and families whenever needed with both medical supplies and the education and instruction that must go alongside those remedies.
In fact motorcycles are far more effective than any other transport in this fight. Because insecticide-impregnated bednets are so light, a heath worker on a bike can carry hundreds of them at a time. And because malaria prevention and treatment call for permanent follow-up, motorcycles are perfectly suited because of their versatility and cost-effectiveness.
Two Wheels for Life was founded in 2016 by Andrea Coleman and Randy Mamola in collaboration with the FIM and MotoGP™.
Read the full article on Malaria here: www.twowheelsforlife.org.uk
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