From: Biniam Tekle (biniamt@dehai.org)
Date: Thu Sep 18 2008 - 09:18:44 EDT
"For the first time, three African countries reported dramatic reductions in
malaria deaths by 50% or more. Eritrea, Rwanda and Sao Tome and Principe
achieved this result between 2000 and 2006/2007 through a mix of bednet
distribution, indoor spraying, improved access to treatment and advances in
disease surveillance."
Progress made in malaria control, yet burden is enormous
New report finds more funding leading to increased coverage of malaria
control interventions
18 September 2008 | GENEVA -- The global burden of malaria remains enormous,
but access to malaria control interventions, especially bednets in Africa,
increased sharply between 2004 and 2006, says a new report released today.
"With dramatic increases in funding and intense momentum towards reducing
the malaria burden in recent years, we have a greater need for reliable
information and analysis," said WHO Director-General Dr Margaret Chan. "This
report begins to answer that need. Progress in malaria control has
accelerated dramatically since 2006, especially in the wake of the UN
Secretary-General's call for universal malaria control coverage by the end
of 2010. We expect these expanded efforts to be reflected in future
reports."
The *World malaria report 2008*, which draws upon data collected between
2004 and 2006, paints a complex picture. Some highlights are:
- New methods estimate that the number of malaria cases in 2006 was 247
million.
- Small children remain by far the most likely to die of the disease.
- Malaria deaths have declined in several countries, and a few African
nations have managed to reduce deaths in half by following the recommended
measures.
- As of 2006, more funding resulted in accelerated access to malaria
interventions, including bednets and effective medicines.
- In Africa, the artemisinin-based combination therapy (ACT), which is
recommended by WHO, reached only 3% of children in need.
Bednet coverage increasing
The report finds that recent increases in malaria funding were beginning to
translate into coverage of key malaria interventions, especially bednets, by
2006. The percentage of children protected by insecticide-treated nets
increased almost eightfold, from 3% in 2001 to 23% in the 18 African
countries where surveys were held in 2006. Procurement of antimalarial
medicines also increased sharply between 2001 and 2006. About 100 million
people, including 22 million in Africa, were protected by indoor spraying of
insecticide.
However, much more work remains to be done. In Africa, only 125 million
people were protected by bednets in 2007, while 650 million are at risk.
"Malaria is a primary cause of child mortality," said Ann M. Veneman,
Executive Director of the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF). "If the
availability of bednets and other key interventions can be increased, lives
can be saved."
Positive impact
For the first time, three African countries reported dramatic reductions in
malaria deaths by 50% or more. Eritrea, Rwanda and Sao Tome and Principe
achieved this result between 2000 and 2006/2007 through a mix of bednet
distribution, indoor spraying, improved access to treatment and advances in
disease surveillance. Furthermore, significant improvements were observed in
other African countries such as Madagascar, Zambia and the United Republic
of Tanzania.
Six more countries reported a fall in malaria deaths by 2006: Cambodia, the
Lao People's Democratic Republic, the Philippines, Suriname, Thailand and
Viet Nam.
"We know that malaria control interventions work and that we can make rapid
progress towards ending malaria deaths," said Ray Chambers, the United
Nations Secretary-General's Special Envoy for Malaria. "Now is the time to
expand these results to all of Africa and the rest of the world."
According to data from national malaria control programmes, Africa had a
larger increase in funding than any other region between 2004 and 2006. The
investments were led by the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and
Malaria, and supported by bilateral and multilateral organizations and
national governments.
In other regions, sources of funding were highly variable, but national
governments provided the bulk of monies. While funding for malaria was
higher than ever before in 2006, it is not yet possible to judge which
countries have adequate resources and there are still significant gaps.
For more information please contact:
Dick Thompson
News Team Leader
WHO, Geneva
Telephone: +41 22 791 1492
Mobile: +41 79 475 5534
E-mail: thompsond@who.int
Fadela Chaib
Telephone: +41 22 791 3228
Mobile: +41 79 475 5556
E-mail: chaibf@who.int
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