Status: 08.12.2022 2:34 p.m
WHO experts spread optimism in the fight against malaria. In the past year, deaths have already fallen slightly. A record number of mosquito nets and a new vaccine give additional hope.
In a new report, the World Health Organization (WHO) writes of slight progress in the fight against the tropical disease malaria. The number of deaths recorded has fallen slightly over the past two years. In 2021, 619,000 people died from malaria, compared to 625,000 the year before.
In the long term, the world can defeat malaria, said WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus. According to the WHO report, successes have been achieved primarily through preventive measures in the fight against malaria.
Record number of mosquito nets distributed
A record number of nets against mosquitoes – which spread the disease – have been distributed in recent years. Insecticide-treated bed nets are the most effective in most malaria-endemic countries.
However, eight countries – including Indonesia, Nigeria and Uganda – distributed less than 60 percent of their available networks. Seven countries – including Botswana, the Central African Republic and Pakistan – did not issue any nets to the population at all.
Vaccine aims to reduce disease and deaths
Abdisalan Noor, a senior member of the WHO’s responsible department, is nonetheless optimistic about the future fight against malaria. He expects that the wider rollout of the world’s first approved vaccine in the coming year will significantly reduce the number of serious illnesses and deaths, he told the AP news agency. But that would only be possible if enough children were vaccinated.
More than 20 countries have asked the Gavi vaccine alliance for help in sourcing the vaccine, according to Noor. However, the vaccine is only about 30 percent effective and requires four doses.
New species of mosquito causes concern
However, Noor expressed concern about a new invasive species of mosquito that is proliferating in cities, is resistant to many pesticides and could undo years of progress in the fight against malaria. The species has not yet contributed significantly to the overall load on the continent, but the insects are likely responsible for the recent surge in parts of the Horn of Africa.
Last year, the WHO warned of major setbacks in the fight against malaria because efforts to combat the corona pandemic were taking up too many resources. This led to 47,000 additional malaria deaths worldwide in 2020.
Sub-Saharan countries most affected
Sub-Saharan Africa remains the worst affected by the disease. Around 95 percent of global diseases and deaths occur there. Four out of five deaths are in children under the age of five.
Malaria is caused by Plasmodium parasites, which are transmitted through the bites of female Anopheles mosquitoes. With mosquito nets treated with insecticides, the risk of infection can be greatly reduced. Typical symptoms of malaria are flare-ups of fever, cramps and stomach and intestinal problems. In severe cases, brain damage or anemia occurs. Without treatment, the disease is often fatal, but with timely diagnosis and medication, malaria can be cured.
The WHO estimates that the total investment in the fight against malaria – about $3.5 billion (3.3 billion euros) – is less than half what would actually be needed to drastically reduce the impact of the disease.