Improved housing in Sub-Saharan Africa could help stop diseases like malaria. Pic credit: Steve Lindsay
Housing in sub-Saharan Africa has dramatically improved and could help in the fight against diseases such as malaria. A new study involving Durham University found that the number of homes with improved water and sanitation and adequate living areas had doubled between 2000 and 2015. Better housing can improve mental health and help to fight diseases such as diarrhoea and those associated with breathing problems. Malaria prevention Improved construction can also prevent the spread of diseases like malaria, carried by mosquitoes, as it is harder for the insects to enter a property that is well-screened. Such improvements include replacing thatched roofs with corrugated metal roofs and mud walls with concrete and bricks, whilst screening doors and windows. The biggest changes to housing came in countries including Botswana, Gabon and Zimbabwe, while there were fewer changes in countries such as South Sudan. Economic development might be a factor in better housing as improvements were 80 per cent more likely in educated households and twice as likely in wealthy homes.
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