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Malaria illnesses 'avoidable'

01/10/2008

Hundreds of gap year students are needlessly falling ill with malaria because they are failing to take the necessary precautions, research published today suggests.

Every year between 1,500 and 2,000 people return to the UK suffering from malaria, according to the World Health Organisation.

A survey out today of 977 gap year travellers found that nearly one in four did not obtain travel advice before their trip about the appropriate precautions to take.

Gapyear.com's study, conducted on behalf of the malaria awareness campaign, also found 33 per cent of students did not take antimalarials. Forty-one per cent did not sleep under a mosquito net, despite travelling to high-risk areas.

"An estimated 250,000 gap year students will head off on their gap year holidays this year and more than three quarters will visit malaria endemic areas," Gapyear.com founder Tom Griffiths said.

"By not taking the necessary precautions, we believe hundreds are needlessly becoming seriously ill each year from malaria."

WHO figures suggest an average of nine Britons die from malaria every year, but this figure may be an underestimate because not all cases are reported.

Mr Griffiths added: "In this day and age, backpackers should not be putting their lives at risk from this disease. It is a preventable death, stopped by simple education."