The World Health Organisation Regional director for Africa, Dr. Matshidiso Moeti, has said about 80% of malaria cases and deaths occur in children under five.
She stated this Tuesday to commemorate the World Malaria Day, with this year’s theme: “Time to deliver zero malaria: invest, innovate, implement.”
He added that significant inequities affect the most vulnerable young children and women.
“In 2021, endemic countries and partners mobilised only 50% of the estimated US$ 7.3 billion required globally to stay on track to defeat malaria.
Dr. Moeti call on our member states to keep malaria high on their agendas as they allocate resources to health.
“The WHO African region alone accounted, in 2021, for an estimated 234 million malaria cases and 593 000 deaths, thus bearing the heaviest burden of over 95% of cases and 96% of deaths globally.
She stated that nearly 30% of the population in most African countries cannot access essential health services, and most people face unacceptably high expenditures on health care.
“About 75% of the planned 171 million insecticide-treated bed nets (ITNs) were distributed. The seasonal malaria preventive treatment was further expanded, reaching nearly 45 million children in 15 African countries, a significant increase from 33.4 million in 2020, while malaria testing and treatment services were maintained.
“More than 1.6 billion malaria cases and 11 million malaria deaths were averted in the WHO African Region from 2000-2021,” she stressed.
Dr. Moeti stated that overall in terms of reduction in malaria incidence; eight countries are on track to meet the 2025 Global Technical Strategy target (Cabo Verde, Ethiopia, the Gambia, Ghana, Mauritania, Rwanda, South Africa and Zimbabwe). But 15 countries achieved insufficient reduction while 20 have witnessed stagnation or increase in cases.