Today, 25 April 2009, marks the second commemoration of World Malaria Day. The theme for this year is ‘Counting Malaria Out’ and for the WHO African Region, our slogan is: ‘‘Moving to Universal Access”.
This year’s theme ‘Counting Malaria Out’ is premised on the recent call by the UN Secretary- General for universal access to malaria prevention and treatment interventions by the end of 2010 and elimination of malaria deaths by 2015. The theme is also in line with World Health Assembly Resolution WHA60.18 which calls for a broad range of national and international actions to scale up malaria control programmes.
Malaria control cannot be achieved without concerted efforts in the African Region. In fact, according to the WHO World Malaria Report 2008, this Region accounts for 86% of the estimated 247 million malaria episodes and 91% of the malaria-related deaths worldwide’.
Some progress has been made in scaling up malaria control interventions. Since 2000, ownership of insecticide-treated nets in the African Region has increased more than ten-fold. Recent data from household surveys conducted in 18 countries with 43% of the population of the Region at risk of malaria show that on average, 34% of households owned at least one insecticide-treated net. However, only 23% of children below five years slept under an insecticide-treated net.
Although all the 42 malaria-endemic countries in the WHO African Region have adopted the Artemisinin-based combination therapy (ACT) policy, ACT use is still very low. Recent data from 18 countries show that on average, only 3% of children below five years presenting with fever received ACT within twenty-four hours of onset of fever.
Access to these key interventions is far below the target for universal coverage. Slow progress in most countries is largely due to health system bottlenecks. However, there is evidence that, with greater political commitment and community involvement, interventions have been scaled up in some countries, leading to a reduction in the burden of malaria.
In order to ‘count malaria out’ and meet the set targets, Member States should ensure universal access to cost-effective malaria control interventions such as insecticide-treated nets, high quality indoor residual spraying, prompt diagnosis of malaria and availability of medicines.
Furthermore, Member States and partners need to strengthen surveillance, monitoring and evaluation systems at district, national, regional and global levels. Robust systems for data collection, analysis and effective dissemination will be critical for informed decision-making, and for planning the appropriate response to malaria at country, regional and global levels.
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.
WHO will 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.
We encourage all Member States, communities, partners and stakeholders in health and development to intensify joint action based on successes and lessons learned in order to contribute to the achievement of health-related Millennium Development Goals in the African Region.
Let us all count malaria out! We can contribute to this global goal by ensuring universal access to cost-effective malaria control interventions.
Thank you.