World Malaria Report 2021: WHO

Context

Global efforts to tackle malaria suffered due to the COVID-19 in 2020, according to the World Malaria Report 2021.

World Malaria Report

The World Health Organization releases the World Malaria Report every year.
It provides a comprehensive and up-to-date assessment of trends in malaria control and elimination across the globe.
The 2021 report is based on information received from malaria-endemic countries in all WHO regions.

Major Findings

Total Cases and Deaths: There were an estimated 241 million malaria cases and 627 000 malaria deaths worldwide in 2020.
- This represents about 14 million more cases in 2020 compared to 2019, and 69 000 more deaths.
- Causes: Approximately two-thirds of these additional deaths (47 000) were linked to disruptions in the provision of malaria prevention, diagnosis and treatment during the pandemic.
Most of the increase came from countries in the WHO African Region
- Six countries — Nigeria (27 per cent); the Democratic Republic of the Congo (12 per cent); Uganda (5%); Mozambique (4%); Angola (3.4%) and Burkina Faso (3.4%) — accounted for about 55 per cent of all cases globally.
India accounted for 83 per cent of cases in the WHO South-East Asia Region.
Sri Lanka was certified malaria-free in 2016 and remains malaria-free.
- China and El Salvador were certified by WHO as malaria-free in 2021, and the Islamic Republic of Iran attained 3 consecutive years of zero indigenous cases in 2020.

Issue

If expeditious action is not taken, the world is in danger of seeing an immediate resurgence of the disease, particularly in Africa.

WHO Updated Strategy

The WHO updated the WHO Global Technical Strategy for Malaria 2016–2030 this year, incorporating lessons learned from the global malaria response during 2016–2020.
WHO’s malaria strategy called for tailoring malaria responses to local settings, harnessing innovation, strengthening health systems and ensuring robust global malaria funding.

Reaching the 2030 goals of the WHO malaria strategy, including a 90% reduction in global malaria incidence and mortality rates by 2030, will require new approaches, new tools and the better implementation of existing ones.

Malaria

It is a mosquito-borne blood disease caused by plasmodium protozoa.
- The parasites spread through the bites of infected female Anopheles mosquitoes.

Disease Prevalence
- It is predominantly found in the tropical and subtropical areas of Africa, South America as well as Asia.

Fever and flu-like illness, including shaking chills, headache, muscle aches, and tiredness.

Prevention and Cure
- It is preventable as well as curable but can be fatal in case of late or no treatment.
- Vector control is the main way to prevent and reduce malaria transmission.
- Antimalarial medicines are used to prevent malaria e.g. Chemoprophylaxis, Artemisinin-based Combination Therapy (ACT).
- Recent developments: In October 2021, WHO recommended RTS, S for children living in sub-Saharan Africa and in other regions with moderate to high P. falciparum malaria transmission.
  - RTS, S is the first vaccine ever to be recommended by WHO against a human parasite.

Initiatives related to Malaria

Initiatives of WHO
- Celebration of World Malaria Day on 25th April every year.
  - The 2021 theme is “Reaching the Zero Malaria target”.
- ‘E-2025 Initiative’
  - The WHO has also identified 25 countries with the potential to eradicate malaria by 2025 under its ‘E-2025 Initiative’.
Indian Initiatives
- 5 year National Strategic Plan for Malaria Elimination
  - Launched in 2017
  - It shifted focus from Malaria control to elimination.
  - It provided a roadmap to end malaria in 571 districts out of India’s 678 districts by 2022.
- Malaria Elimination Research Alliance-India (MERA-India)
  - Established by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR)
  - It is a conglomeration of partners working on malaria control.

Source: DTE

Previous article 65th Mahaparinirvan Diwas

Next article Air version of BrahMos Missile