News:Lancet has released a report on Malaria eradication.
Facts:
About the report:
- The report has held that with the right strategies and sufficient funding,it is possible to eradicate malaria as early as 2050.
- The report has noted that since 2000,global malaria incidence and death rates have declined by 36% and 60 % respectively.More than half of the world’s countries are malaria-free.
- However,there are over 200 million cases of malaria reported each year, claiming nearly half a million lives.Malaria cases are rising in 55 countries in Africa, Asia and Latin America.
- The report also highlighted the inequity where 29 countries (27 in Africa) accounted for the large majority of new cases and 85% of global deaths in 2017.
- On the other hand,38 countries had incidences of fewer than ten cases per 1,000 population in 2017 and reported just 5% of total malaria deaths.
Recommendations:The report identifies three ways to accelerate the decline in malaria cases which are-
- Improve implementation of malaria control programmes globally.
- Develop and roll out innovative new tools to overcome the biological challenges to eradication.
- Malaria-endemic countries must be provided with the financial investment to fight malaria.
Additional information:
About Malaria:
- Malaria is a disease caused by Plasmodium parasites that are transmitted to people through the bite of infected female Anopheles mosquitoes.
- According to the World Malaria Report 2018,more than 200 million people were affected by malaria in 2017.
- India (4%) along with Nigeria Democratic Republic of the Congo, Mozambique and Uganda accounted for nearly 50% of all malaria cases
