Moises Da Silva has sought treatment for malaria three times in the recent past. 

Tucked away in a remote corner of the Brazilian Amazon is a village called Nossa Senhora de Fatima. The only way to reach this village is by boat. Located in one of the most endemic regions for relapsing malaria, the inhabitants of this village are very familiar with their local malaria clinic, which provides front-line care.

Brazil carries one of the highest burdens of malaria in Latin America, and the Amazon region within the country accounts for 99.5% of all national cases.

For a young man like Moises, relapsing malaria is very disruptive

This was the third time in the recent past that Moises Da Silva was seeking treatment for malaria. For a young, able-bodied man like Moises, relapsing  malaria is very disruptive. Having now experienced two relapses following his initial infection, Moises can easily recall the specific symptoms. He says, “You feel cold. It’s hot outside, but your body feels cold. You wrap yourself under a pile of sheets, still you shake all over.” 

P. vivax malaria has devastating impacts on the social and economic lives of people

In Amazonian villages like Nossa Senhora de Fatima, the abundant presence of mosquitoes complicates the situation further. There are times when several members of the family are suffering from malaria at the same time.

Though not known to be the deadliest killer in the malaria family, P. vivax malaria can still kill and has devastating impacts on the social and economic lives of people. People like Moises, who live in remote endemic regions where relapsing malaria is a daily reality, are in need of medicines that can treat P .vivax malaria once and for all.