Progress against malaria falters

The World Health Organization has called on African countries and global health partners to step up the fight against malaria, a preventable disease that claims hundreds of thousands of lives each year.

According to a survey released by the WHO on Monday, progress against the mosquito-borne disease has flattened, particularly in a number of countries in Africa.

In the "World Malaria Report", the UN agency said gaps in access to lifesaving tools are undermining global efforts to curb the disease and the COVID-19 pandemic is expected to set back the fight even further.

At the launch of the report, WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said that robust political commitment, together with control tools and a steep increase in funding, had catalyzed an unprecedented period of success in global malaria control. According to the report, 1.5 billion malaria cases and 7.6 million deaths have been averted since 2000.

"It is time for leaders across Africa and the world to rise once again to the challenge of malaria, just as they did when they laid the foundation for the progress made since the beginning of this century," Tedros said.

"Through joint action and a commitment to leaving no one behind, we can achieve our shared vision of a world free of malaria."

Tedros said that in 2000, African leaders signed the landmark Abuja Declaration pledging to reduce malaria deaths on the continent by 50 percent over 10 years. Africa shouldered more than 90 percent of the overall disease burden, he said.

Funding shortfall

Tedros said a funding shortfall poses a significant threat to future gains in the fight against malaria. He also pointed out that in 2019 the total funding reached $3 billion against a global target of $5.6 billion. The shortfall led to critical gaps in access to proven malaria control tools.

The report also noted the coronavirus' emergence as an additional challenge to the provision of essential health services worldwide. The WHO is concerned that even moderate disruptions in access to treatment could lead to a considerable loss of life.

The report says that a 10 percent disruption in access to antimalarial treatments in sub-Saharan Africa could lead to 19,000 additional deaths. Disruptions of 25 percent and 50 percent in the region could kill a further 46,000 and 100,000 people, respectively.

Matshidiso Moeti, the WHO's regional director for Africa, said that while Africa has shown the world what can be achieved against malaria, progress has stalled.