Articles
The benefits of Artemisia in war zones: emergency response, community resilience, and health access in displacement contexts
Article number
1462_12
Pages
85 – 92
Language
English
Abstract
Armed conflict in malaria-endemic regions creates humanitarian crises compounded by disease burden, collapsed healthcare systems, and economic devastation.
Malaria affects vulnerable populations – pregnant women, children, and displaced persons – at highest intensity precisely when healthcare access is most constrained.
This paper documents the use of Artemisia annua L. and Artemisia afra Jacq. ex Willd. for malaria prevention and treatment in war zones and emergency contexts in North Kivu, Democratic Republic of Congo.
Over five years, the Maison de l’Artemisia distributed 13,800 malaria treatments, including 2,800 emergency treatments following the May 2021 Mount Nyiragongo volcanic eruption and 11,000 treatments in displacement camps among populations fleeing ongoing conflict.
Results demonstrate significant reduction in malaria rates, prevention of preventable deaths among children and pregnant women, creation of local income through Artemisia sales, improved animal health, and development of a circular economy centered on Artemisia cultivation.
Training of 370 producers, predominantly women farmers, built local capacity for sustained production and distribution.
Implementation demonstrates feasibility of Artemisia-based malaria prevention and treatment in resource-constrained, insecure humanitarian settings, providing hope and health resilience during the most difficult times.
Malaria affects vulnerable populations – pregnant women, children, and displaced persons – at highest intensity precisely when healthcare access is most constrained.
This paper documents the use of Artemisia annua L. and Artemisia afra Jacq. ex Willd. for malaria prevention and treatment in war zones and emergency contexts in North Kivu, Democratic Republic of Congo.
Over five years, the Maison de l’Artemisia distributed 13,800 malaria treatments, including 2,800 emergency treatments following the May 2021 Mount Nyiragongo volcanic eruption and 11,000 treatments in displacement camps among populations fleeing ongoing conflict.
Results demonstrate significant reduction in malaria rates, prevention of preventable deaths among children and pregnant women, creation of local income through Artemisia sales, improved animal health, and development of a circular economy centered on Artemisia cultivation.
Training of 370 producers, predominantly women farmers, built local capacity for sustained production and distribution.
Implementation demonstrates feasibility of Artemisia-based malaria prevention and treatment in resource-constrained, insecure humanitarian settings, providing hope and health resilience during the most difficult times.
Publication
Authors
P. Kaloma
Keywords
Artemisia, malaria prevention, humanitarian crisis, armed conflict, North Kivu, DRC, displacement camps, women empowerment, emergency response
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