Sola Ogundipe
28 April 2009
WITH just over 600 days remaining before the December 31, 2010 UN global target for all malaria endemic countries to achieve universal coverage with essential malaria control interventions, the UNICEF has called for greater effort in the run against the malaria onslaught.Speaking on April 25 during this year's World Malaria Day, with the theme "Counting Malaria Out" Ann Veneman, UNICEF Executive Director observed that "We are, for the first time in history, poised to make malaria a rare cause of death and disability.
She said new data shows that endemic African countries received enough nets during 2004-2008 to cover more than 40 per cent of their at-risk populations."
The joint report "Malaria and Children, Progress in Intervention Coverage" issued by UNICEF, the Roll Back Malaria (RBM) Partnership and the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, observed that while progress has been made in combating malaria, particularly in Africa, more needed to be done to address the global scourge.
In Nigeria, the incidence of malaria is still high. Malaria is responsible for 30 per cent of childhood mortality and 11 per cent of maternal mortality. It reduces Nigeria's GDP by one per cent and is the commonest cause of absenteeism from schools, offices, farms and markets.
Nigeria has good institutional arrangements under the aegis of the Roll Back Malaria initiative to reduce the disease. However, insecticide-treated nets use, which is the most effective way of preventing malaria, is still very low.
Nationally, only two per cent of children under five years and pregnant women sleep under insecticide-treated nets.
Data presented in the report entitled noted major signs of progress across Africa particularly in the increase in distribution of insecticide-treated nets (ITNs).
It revealed that since 2004 the number of ITNs produced worldwide has more than tripled-from 30 million to 100 million in 2008.
Globally, malaria control is now a major global development priority and is critical for achieving the Millennium Development Goals in Africa.
Increased global awareness about malaria has contributed to a significant rise in available resources over recent years, thanks to the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, TB and Malaria, the US President's Malaria Initiative, the World Bank, and others.
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