World Malaria Day : WHO tasks world leaders to invest in malaria prevention, control
The World Health Organisation (WHO) has tasked Nigeria and leaders across the globe to invest in malaria prevention and control in order to successfully reduce the burden on the killer disease in Nigeria and the world by the year 2030.
Speaking while addressing journalists in Abuja on Wednesday to commemorate the World Malaria Day celebration, the WHO Reginal Director for Africa, Matshidiso Moeti, noted that the allocation of adequate resources will give long way in eliminating the disease.
Represented by the WHO Nigeria country representative, Wondi Alemu, the WHO reiterated it’s readiness to partner with the World and Nigeria, to beat malaria, but added that the pace of progress must be accelerated to achieve a 40 per cent drop in global malaria cases and deaths by 2020, compared to 2015 levels.
Stressing that the elimination of malaria requires above political leadership and intersectoral and cross-border collaboration, Alemu lamented that Nigeria currently has the highest burden of malaria scourge globally accounting for 27 percent of the disease’s prevalence rate.
He called on countries affected by malaria to work with development partners to boost investments in malaria prevention and control, especially for new tools, to combat malaria.
This according to him will propel countries along the road to elimination, and contribute to the achievement of other Sustainable Development Goals, such as improving maternal and child health.
He said, “I urge countries to allocate adequate resources and to work across sectors and strengthen cross-border collaboration.
“Malaria remains a major public health and development challenge and the World Malaria Report 2017 documents shows an increase in global malaria cases.
“ Fourteen countries with the world’s biggest malaria problem are in Sub-Saharan Africa including Nigerian and account for 80% of the global burden”.
The World Malaria Day focused global attention on malaria and its devastating impact on families, communities and development.
The theme for this year’s malaria day is “Ready to beat malaria”.
End
