Brazzaville, 25 April 2009 - WHO Regional Director for Africa, Dr Luis Sambo, has urged malaria endemic countries in the Region to strive to achieve universal access to cost-effective malaria control interventions such as insecticide-treated nets, high quality indoor residual spraying, prompt diagnosis of malaria and effective medicines for treatment.

"The vision of expanding malaria-free areas in Africa requires decisive action from governments, NGOs, the private sector and civil society if we are to successfully tackle the policy, financing, management and other systemic bottlenecks impeding progress towards malaria control and eventual elimination", Dr Sambo said in his message on the occasion of World Malaria Day observed worldwide on 25 April since 2008.

Dr Luis Sambo also said that countries should put in place "robust systems for data collection, analysis and effective dissemination" as these were critical for informed decision-making and planning for appropriate response to malaria prevention and control efforts at country, regional and global levels.

The theme of this year's World Health Day is "Let Us Count Malaria Out" while the slogan retained by the African Region for the commemoration of the Day is "Moving to Universal Access."

Dr Sambo noted that some progress had so far made in malaria prevention and control in the African Region saying that since 2000, the ownership of Insecticide Treated Nets (ITNs) by populations had increased more than ten fold. 
He however added that that the implementation of the WHO-recommended Artemesinin -based Combination Therapy (ACT) policy by countries still remained low, despite the fact that all 42 malaria endemic countries in the Region had adopted the policy.

Dr Sambo attributed the slow progress in coverage of key interventions - currently below the target for universal coverage - to a number of factors including weak health systems, but noted that increased political will and community involvement had led to the scaling up of interventions and a reduction of the malaria burden in some Member States.

He pledged that WHO would continue to collaborate with the African Union and regional economic communities and to support cross-border initiatives and individual Member States to strengthen malaria control.

According to WHO's 2008 World Malaria Report, the African Region accounts for 86% of the 247 million malaria episodes, and 91% of malaria related deaths worldwide. Young Children, pregnant women, people living with HIV/AIDS, displaced and refugee communities are especially vulnerable.

Current estimates show that in the Region's high endemic countries, the disease causes an ‘economic growth penalty' of up to 1.3% per year . In economic terms, malaria costs African countries an estimated US$ 12 billion per year in lost productivity.

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Dr Georges Ki-Zerbo
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E-mail: kizerbog [at] afro.who.int

Media contact: Samuel Ajibola; Email: ajibolas [at] afro.who.int 
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