"We are digging up the ground where they plant maize... We eat sweet potatoes and beans, maybe some cassava. It's good. But sometimes I get so hungry. There's no food at all. Maybe one meal a day and it's not that big. Then I feel very tired all day and I have no energy and I can't dig or do anything."
Malaria is especially deadly in areas where there is severe poverty and malnutrition. The link between malaria and malnutrition is not well understood, but many experts believe that poor nutrition compromises immunity, making it more difficult to fight infection. Poor nutrition is particularly problematic when taking anti-malarial drugs such as artemether-lumefantrine. A diet devoid of fat can inhibit the absorption of this medication, rendering treatment less effective.
