Malaria is one of the most common diseases in tropical regions. It’s also one of the most difficult to combat. New instances of malaria transmitted by mosquitoes have increased eightfold in the last 40 years, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). Climate change has only exacerbated the situation, creating ideal temperatures for mosquitoes to thrive and spread the disease. Providing information and education on malaria’s early warning signals is crucial to staving off an epidemic. This week, Global Ideas focuses on a new project in Kenya that shows how young people can play a powerful role in raising awareness about the disease. We also visit the Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine in Hamburg which conducts cutting-edge malaria research.
The Prespa region is an area of land shared between three countries: Albania, Macedonia and Greece. UNESCO has declared the region a natural heritage site. But the Prespa’s future is at risk. Overfishing, overgrazing and illegal logging have destroyed some of Prespa’s precious ecosystem. Now, all three countries are working on initiatives to preserve the region’s unique flora and fauna, include locals in the project and tackle social inequality.