World Malaria Day: 400,000 Die Of The Disease Yearly – WHO

As the world marks World Malaria Day, the World Health Organization (WHO) has called on the Nigerian Government not to forget other diseases as it fights the ravaging Coronavirus pandemic in the country.

Dr. Fiona Braka, the Officer in Charge, (OIC) WHO Country Office, Nigeria, issued the reminder on Friday while responding to questions from Journalists on this year’s World Malaria Day at the daily Presidential task force on COVID-19 press briefing.

World Malaria Day is held every April 25 to draw attention to the disease and recognise global efforts to control it.

According to Braka, the theme for this year’s World Malaria Day is, “Zero Malaria Starts with Me.”

The WHO official noted that the theme is a grassroots campaign, first launched in Senegal in 2014 which aims at engaging everyone from policy-makers to the private sector to communities affected by malaria.

Lamenting the devastating impact of malaria on families, communities and societies, Braka disclosed that about 400,000 people die from the endemic disease yearly and that 94 percent of these deaths occur in the African Region.

She said: “As the world grapples with COVID-19, this is an opportunity to highlight the importance of maintaining robust health systems and continuing delivery of essential health services in times of crisis.”

While acknowledging the efforts of African countries including Nigeria to control the disease, she said that there were still 213 million cases in the WHO African Region in 2018, accounting for 93 percent of cases worldwide.

She however disclosed that Algeria was certified free of malaria in 2019.

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Braka said further: “Children under five years are the most vulnerable group, accounting for 67 percent of deaths.

“This situation remains alarming and inequitable.”

The OIC recalled that through the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG), countries had committed to ending the malaria epidemic by 2030.

She recounted that the E-2020 Malaria Elimination initiative was launched in 2017 and to halt rising cases, especially in countries in sub-Saharan Africa, WHO’s High Burden to High Impact approach was launched in 2018.

“A year ago, pilot testing of the world’s first malaria vaccine, RTS’S, started in Ghana, Kenya and Malawi. So far, 275 000 children have received the vaccine.

“This action is commendable, but we are falling short on the 2020 milestone of a 40 percent reduction in cases and deaths, and will need to double our efforts to achieve a 75 percent reduction by 2025, she stated.

She therefore called for greater political commitment, accelerated investment, and more innovation in malaria prevention and control in the country.

“Together, we must recognize that as long as malaria exists, it threatens the poorest and most vulnerable, and has the potential to resurge in times of crisis like the COVID-19 pandemic facing us now,” she said.