- Date : 15/04/2019
- Read: 3 mins
Malaria costs Rs 11,640 crore annually to Indians. It is high time we do something about it.
Did you know malaria claims the life of a child every 2 minutes?
In 2016, there were 216 million cases of malaria in 91 countries, 5 million more than the 211 million cases reported in 2015.
Malaria claims a significant number of lives. In 2016, 445,000 people died from malaria globally, compared to 446,000 estimated deaths in 2015.
India alone sees almost 1.2 million cases of malaria each year, with 95% of the population living in malaria-endemic areas. The situation is so unsettling that WHO has asked India to urgently focus on mosquito control.
In addition to the health complications and fatality, malaria also comes with a huge financial burden.
In India, the annual socio-economic burden due to malaria alone is pegged at a whopping US$1.94 billion (Rs 11640 crore)!
Related: Why it makes sense to combine a Hospital Cash Plan and Indemnity-based Health Insurance?
How malaria can empty your pockets
There are many financial aspects to the disease. From vaccinations, doctor fees, medication, to hospitalisation if need be, and more. It can prove to be very stressful for the middle class, lower middle class and the population living below the poverty line, who are the most susceptible to such diseases.
Treatment can cost precious thousands, and can quickly escalate to a couple of lakhs depending on the severity of the disease and the quality of treatment sought. Along with the cost of treatment, there is also the loss of income associated with the disease. Recovery usually takes about two weeks and there is a possibility of relapse. People who have physically taxing jobs may take time to get to a 100% fitness level. Taking time off from work for yourself or your child can be a costly affair. If you run a small business, there is also a business loss to account for in your absence.
Related: How Mediclaim differs from a health insurance policy
Prevention is better than cure
Mosquito control is your best line of defence against this mosquito-borne virus.
Take these preventive measures starting this World Malaria Day – April 25:
- Use mosquito nets at home
- Eliminate mosquito breeding grounds such as stagnant water, garbage piled up
- Ensure your surroundings are clean
- Use mosquito repellents when outdoors
- Regularly spray insecticides if there is a mosquito infestation around you
- Put mosquito nets on windows to keep the pests out
- Do not travel to a high-risk malaria-prone area
Related: 5 New-age features of health insurance plans to know
Cover all bases with health insurance
Sometimes you can take all the precautions and even then fall prey to the lethal disease. There are no effective vaccinations for malaria yet, nor does recovering from the disease prevent you from getting infected again.
A medical emergency like this can create havoc to your finances. A smart and prudent way to safeguard the health and savings of your family is to get health insurance.
A comprehensive health insurance plan ensures you get timely and appropriate treatment which is extremely critical for treating malaria. You do not have to worry about hospitalisation charges and treatment costs with cashless claims and depending on the insurance, your post hospitalisation costs may be covered too.
A really small insect can bring tremendous health and financial burden, which can be best negated by precautionary lifestyle habits and a good health insurance plan. Get insured today so that small issues do not become big hazards. Read some of the lesser known features of health plans that you should take advantage of.
Did you know malaria claims the life of a child every 2 minutes?
In 2016, there were 216 million cases of malaria in 91 countries, 5 million more than the 211 million cases reported in 2015.
Malaria claims a significant number of lives. In 2016, 445,000 people died from malaria globally, compared to 446,000 estimated deaths in 2015.
India alone sees almost 1.2 million cases of malaria each year, with 95% of the population living in malaria-endemic areas. The situation is so unsettling that WHO has asked India to urgently focus on mosquito control.
In addition to the health complications and fatality, malaria also comes with a huge financial burden.
In India, the annual socio-economic burden due to malaria alone is pegged at a whopping US$1.94 billion (Rs 11640 crore)!
Related: Why it makes sense to combine a Hospital Cash Plan and Indemnity-based Health Insurance?
How malaria can empty your pockets
There are many financial aspects to the disease. From vaccinations, doctor fees, medication, to hospitalisation if need be, and more. It can prove to be very stressful for the middle class, lower middle class and the population living below the poverty line, who are the most susceptible to such diseases.
Treatment can cost precious thousands, and can quickly escalate to a couple of lakhs depending on the severity of the disease and the quality of treatment sought. Along with the cost of treatment, there is also the loss of income associated with the disease. Recovery usually takes about two weeks and there is a possibility of relapse. People who have physically taxing jobs may take time to get to a 100% fitness level. Taking time off from work for yourself or your child can be a costly affair. If you run a small business, there is also a business loss to account for in your absence.
Related: How Mediclaim differs from a health insurance policy
Prevention is better than cure
Mosquito control is your best line of defence against this mosquito-borne virus.
Take these preventive measures starting this World Malaria Day – April 25:
- Use mosquito nets at home
- Eliminate mosquito breeding grounds such as stagnant water, garbage piled up
- Ensure your surroundings are clean
- Use mosquito repellents when outdoors
- Regularly spray insecticides if there is a mosquito infestation around you
- Put mosquito nets on windows to keep the pests out
- Do not travel to a high-risk malaria-prone area
Related: 5 New-age features of health insurance plans to know
Cover all bases with health insurance
Sometimes you can take all the precautions and even then fall prey to the lethal disease. There are no effective vaccinations for malaria yet, nor does recovering from the disease prevent you from getting infected again.
A medical emergency like this can create havoc to your finances. A smart and prudent way to safeguard the health and savings of your family is to get health insurance.
A comprehensive health insurance plan ensures you get timely and appropriate treatment which is extremely critical for treating malaria. You do not have to worry about hospitalisation charges and treatment costs with cashless claims and depending on the insurance, your post hospitalisation costs may be covered too.
A really small insect can bring tremendous health and financial burden, which can be best negated by precautionary lifestyle habits and a good health insurance plan. Get insured today so that small issues do not become big hazards. Read some of the lesser known features of health plans that you should take advantage of.
