Do you know what the deadliest animal is on the planet? From movies and TV shows, you might be thinking sharks, but that's wrong (sharks kill about five people a year). The answer is…mosquitoes. They are the deadliest animals on the planet by a long shot, and their biggest threat: malaria. Many of us have taken malaria pills before traveling without thinking twice about malaria itself. But how does malaria actually impact us? Malaria has devastated the sustainability of communities and the global economy. And in the words of this episode’s guest, Dr. Fredros Okumu, “It’s better to be alive than to be dead”.

This episode features Jen Hatmaker, an American author, speaker, blogger, and television presenter, in conversation with Fredros Okumu, parasitologist and Director of Science at the Ifakara Health Institute in Tanzania, Africa. Jen and Fredros discuss how malaria is a disease for which we know the cause, the treatment, and how to effectively prevent it. Still, over half of the world population is currently at risk of malaria, and it kills 600,000 people annually, most of which are young children across the African continent. Like COVID, malaria affects us all through its impact on global economic growth, health, and travel. With investment and early interventions, including mosquito control and adequate diagnostics and treatments, we can reduce the disease burden and increase global health equity and dignity.

Make Me Care About is produced by Magnificent Noise in partnership with The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.

To learn more about our show: https://www.gatesfoundation.org/podcast/make-me-care-about

For more on The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation’s work: https://www.gatesfoundation.org

To learn more about malaria:

Malaria Strategy: https://www.gatesfoundation.org/ideas/articles/food-fortification-to-fortify-the-future

What will it take to outsmart malaria?: https://www.gatesfoundation.org/our-work/programs/global-health/malaria

Why the Interceptor G2 net could be a game changer for malaria eradication: https://www.gatesfoundation.org/ideas/articles/ig2-nets-malaria-eradication-financed-by-the-global-fund

For more on the work of our guest, Fredros Okumu: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fredros_Okumu

Learn more about our host, Jen Hatmaker: https://jenhatmaker.com

Our production staff includes Sabrina Farhi, Hiwote Getaneh, Julia Natt, and our sound designer Kristin Mueller. Our Executive Producer is Eric Nuzum and the host is Jen Hatmaker.

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