HEALTH advocates have called on African governments to invest in research and innovation to deal with malaria as a public health threat.
The call was made during the commemorations of World Malaria Day held under the theme Accelerating the fight against malaria for a more equitable world.
In an interview, Community Working Group on Health executive director Itai Rusike said the fight against malaria was one of humanity’s most significant public health successes.
He noted the progress made in malaria control over the last two decades resulting in a reduction in overall cases and deaths.
“But after years of steady decline, malaria cases and deaths are on the rise. Climate change and increasing resistance to insecticides are affecting the significant gains that the Global Fund partnership has fought to achieve over the last two decades,” Rusike said.
“The disease is particularly devastating for pregnant women and young children in sub-Saharan Africa. Of the 608 000 people who died of malaria in 2022, 95% lived in the region, with most of them being children under five years of age.”
He called for equitable access to vaccines for children under the age of five.
“Innovations have the power to transform the fight against malaria. Vaccines for children, when thoughtfully deployed together with existing tools can also contribute to getting back on track to defeat malaria,” Rusike said.
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Africa accounts for approximately 94% of malaria cases and deaths worldwide.
Healthcare advocate Ngadzirisa Tariro Kutadza applauded Zimbabwe for eliminating malaria in some districts.
“The government must continue distributing nets to pregnant women and children under five years. Civil society organisations are not doing enough on malaria awareness initiatives as we still grapple with misuse of nets in communities,” she said.
Science for Africa Foundation, a regional body, is funding malaria research to help the fight against a significant public health challenge in Africa.
The burden of the disease remains disproportionately high, according to latest data from the World Health Organisation.
In a statement during the commemorations, the World Health Organisation called for action through strengthening primary healthcare to reach outlying communities.
“Funding should be prioritised for the most marginalised populations who are less able to access services and are hardest hit when they become ill.
“End discrimination and stigma against these populations and include malaria control interventions in universal health coverage,” the UN agency said.
