World Malaria Day special
By: Ranjan K Baruah
We are aware that malaria is a public health problem in several parts of the world. It is a preventable and treatable disease that continues to have a devastating impact on the health and livelihood of people around the world. In 2020, there were an estimated 241 million new cases of malaria and 627000 malaria-related deaths in 85 countries. More than two thirds of deaths were among children under the age of 5 living in the World Health Organisation (WHO) African Region.
Related Posts:
Despite steady advances in lowering the global burden of malaria between 2000 and 2015, progress has slowed or stalled in recent years, particularly in high burden countries in sub-Saharan Africa. Urgent and concerted action is needed to set the world back on a trajectory toward achieving the 2030 targets of the WHO global malaria strategy. Approximately two-thirds of the additional deaths (47000) were linked to disruptions in the provision of malaria prevention, diagnosis and treatment during the Covid-19 pandemic. In India, it has been seen that malaria reported in the country is confined to areas consisting of 20% of population residing in tribal, hilly, difficult and inaccessible areas.
In 2020, the South-East Asia Region had nine malaria-endemic countries that contributed to about 2% of the burden of malaria globally. Most cases in the region were concentrated in India (83%). During the Covid-19 pandemic, there were no major increases seen in the malaria burden in the South-East Asia Region in 2020.
In 2020, total funding for malaria control and elimination reached an estimated US$ 3.3 billion against a target of US$ 6.8 billion. Governments of malaria-endemic countries contributed about one third of all malaria funding, and the remaining two-thirds of funding came from international sources.
While progress in the global response to malaria has levelled off, a subset of countries with a low burden of malaria is moving quickly towards elimination. In 2020, more than half (47) of all malaria-endemic countries had fewer than 10 000 indigenous malaria cases, up from 26 countries in 2000 and 26 countries reported fewer than 100 malaria cases, up from 6 countries in 2000. In 2021, two countries were certified malaria-free: China and El Salvador. Globally, a total of 40 countries and territories have achieved this milestone.
Boosting investments in the development and deployment of a new generation of malaria tools is key to achieving the 2030 global malaria targets. Future progress in the fight against malaria will likely be shaped by technological advances and innovations in new tools, such as new vector control approaches, improved diagnostics and more effective antimalarial medicines. According to the latest World malaria report, an average annual R&D investment of US$ 851 million will be needed in the period 2021-2030.
World Malaria Day 2022 will be marked under the theme “Harness innovation to reduce the malaria disease burden and save lives.” No single tool that is available today will solve the problem of malaria. WHO is calling for investments and innovation that bring new vector control approaches, diagnostics, antimalarial medicines and other tools to speed the pace of progress against malaria. 25th April is observed as World Malaria Day around the world.
In India, Directorate of National Vector Borne Disease Control Programme (NVBDCP) has framed technical guidelines/policies and provides most of the resources for the programme. Indicators have been developed at national level for monitoring of the programme and there is uniformity in collection, compilation and onward submissions of data. Passive surveillance of malaria is carried out by PHCs, Malaria Clinics, CHCs and other secondary and tertiary level health institutions that patients visit for treatment. All of us must contribute to make India a zero malaria country. It is possible and all of us can make it happen and make India a malaria free country in the years to come. (With direct inputs from WHO publication and feedback may be send to bkranjan@gmail.com)
