Malaria killed 593,000 Africans in 2021- WHO

The World Health Organization (WHO) on Tuesday said an estimated 234 million malaria cases and 593,000 deaths were recorded in Africa in 2021 thus bearing the heaviest burden of over 95 percent of cases and 96 percent of deaths globally.

Matshidiso Moeti, the WHO regional director for Africa, in her statement to mark the World Malaria Day, regretted that about 80 percent of malaria cases and deaths occur in children under five.

According to Moeti, Africa continues to be hardest hit by the deadly disease partly because too many people do not have access to preventive and curative interventions, hence the need to accelerate interventions.

Moeti stated that the World Malaria Day with the theme “Time to deliver zero malaria: invest, innovate, implement”, gives countries the opportunity to renew political commitments and bolster investments in malaria prevention and control.

To reverse these trends and accelerate progress, Moeti said Africa must rethink and revitalise its strategies by investing, innovating and implementing smartly.

Read also: Indigo wins in 2023 Sabre Africa Awards

“On investments, we are responsible for increasing funding for malaria interventions through primary health care approaches so that malaria services are accessed by the most vulnerable populations wherever they are. In 2021, endemic countries and partners mobilised only 50 percent of the estimated $7.3 billion required globally to stay on track to defeat malaria.

“I call on each member state to redouble its commitment to implement an ambitious and innovative acceleration plan to rapidly reduce the burden of malaria and save the lives of its populations.

“To achieve this, governments need to mobilise more resources and technical capacities at domestic and international levels and build effective partnerships and multi-sectoral mechanisms to help strengthen preventive measures and improve coverage of malaria case management services”, she urged.

On the progress made, the regional director said the first malaria vaccine recommended by WHO to prevent malaria in children (also known as RTS) is saving lives, especially in Ghana, Kenya and Malawi- countries that first introduced the vaccine where nearly 1.5 million children have received the vaccine through a WHO-coordinated pilot programme.

At least 28 countries in Africa have expressed interest in introducing the vaccine, with some additional countries to start in early 2024, Moeti said.

According to her, the unprecedented demand for the first malaria vaccine is considered an opportunity to bring children back to clinics to catch up on missed vaccines and child health interventions – including reinforcing the need for children to sleep under treated nets every night.

She informed that the new RTS vaccine deployment has been extended beyond the three initial countries and several other innovative products are underway.