UN urges malaria investment
Top United Nations (UN) officials have said that while ‘significant inroads’ have been made in the global battle against malaria, helped by stronger coordination and increased investment, this investment needs to continue to ensure a better future beyond 2015. Speaking at a recent event at the UN headquarters in New York, it was confirmed by the Roll Back Malaria Partnership that 64 of 97 countries are now ‘on track’ to meet the Millennium Development Goal for the reduction of incidences of malaria this year. “Together, we have already made huge strides in our efforts to combat this preventable and treatable disease,” commented Sam Kutesa, president of the UN General Assembly. “Nevertheless, there is still more work to be done to achieve a world free of malaria. To reach our goals, we must have continued investments and sustained political commitments for malaria control and elimination.”
A recent World Health Organization (WHO) report found that mortality rates from the mosquito-borne disease have decreased by 47 per cent globally, and 54 per cent in Africa alone, since the turn of the new century; and an estimated four million malaria-related deaths have been avoided since 2001, around 97 per cent of which would have been children aged five or younger.
The event in New York spotlighted the estimated $100 billion that it is thought will be required to eliminate malaria entirely by 2030; this will, however, bring a global gain of $270 billion if the disease is eradicated in just Sub-Saharan Africa alone, according to the Roll Back Malaria partnership. “A new generation now has the chance to grow up and contribute to their societies thanks to the work carried out by the malaria community,” said Jan Eliasson, the UN’s deputy secretary-general. “Fighting malaria is indeed one of the most cost-effective public health investments of our time. We cannot afford to stop investing now.”