SEPTEMBER 2005

Health

The question was asked at the Pensions & Welfare Forum at National Council whether a person could have recurring malaria over many years. It seems that it does happen but that it need not happen. Mosquitoes carrying malaria parasites whilst serving overseas will have bitten any number of veterans and ex-service people. There are a number of types of malaria parasites that will only give a person one bout of fever and then disappear, but there a few that will give recurring bouts of fever.

These days the malaria parasites that give recurring fevers are well known and understood. However, the only time that a laboratory test can prove you have the parasite is when you have the fever. This is done by a blood test. So if you have recurring fevers and you think you might have malaria please get your doctor to take a smear of blood from you in the midst of the fever to send off for the appropriate test.

If the test establishes that you have the malaria parasite your doctor can provide medication that will cure it. If the fever is not malaria related I would hope that he or she does further tests so that the correct treatment can be given. Either way you should be the winner.

Malaria is unlikely to bring you a War Disablement Pension, but malaria can, in some people, lead to them having chronic headaches, that means having headaches at least every other day. If that is the case and you started with malaria whilst you were serving overseas you may well have a claim.