Home  /  Daily Current Affairs  /  08-12-2021 / World Malaria Report 2021: WHO

World Malaria Report 2021: WHO

Posted on December 8, 2021 by admin1  57

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.
  • Meeting global targets will also require robust funding. 

Malaria

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

Courtesy: IndiaToday

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

Other News of the Day

In News  Assamese poet Nilmani Phookan Jr won the 56th Jnanpith Award and Konkani novelist Damodar Mauzo won the 57th Jnanpith Award. About Jnanpith Award It is the highest literary award in India and is given annually for the best creative literary writing to writers in any of the 22 “scheduled languages” recognized in the...
Read More

In Context  A curtain-raiser for the Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief exercise, PANEX-21 is being held in New Delhi. It is planned from 20 December to 22 Dec 2021 at Pune.  About PANEX-21 It is a multi-nation disaster management exercise with a special focus on relief in the backdrop of the Covid-19 pandemic.  It will...
Read More

In News  Recently, the President of India visited the Raigad Fort in Maharashtra and paid tribute to Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj. The Maharashtra government is now seeking the World Heritage Site tag for the Raigad fort, along with 13 other sites related to the era of Chhatrapati Shivaji. About Raigad Fort Location:  Raigad is a hill...
Read More

In News NASA launched its new Laser Communications Relay Demonstration (LCRD). It is NASA’s first-ever laser communications system — from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida. What is Laser Communications Relay Demonstration (LCRD)? About: It will help NASA to test optical communication in space. LCRD is a technology demonstration that will pave the way...
Read More

In News India has emerged as the most unequal country with the top 1% of the population holding more than one-fifth of the total national income in 2021. The report is released by Paris-based World Inequality Lab, a global research initiative. Major Highlights of the Report Contemporary income and wealth inequalities are very large: The...
Read More

In News Recently, a report stated that the tension on the Russia-Ukraine border represents a major security crisis for the region. About The crisis has the potential to convert into a broader conflict.  Ukraine says that Russia has amassed around 90,000 troops at the border, and US intelligence reports say that a Russian invasion of...
Read More

In News The Union Minister of State for Labour And Employment replied in the Rajya Sabha that a total 45, 77,295 unorganised workers have been registered under the Pradhan Mantri Shram Yogi Maandhan (PM-SYM) scheme.  Unorganised sectors contribute around 50% of India’s GDP. Pradhan Mantri Shram Yogi Maandhan (PM-SYM) Scheme About: It is a Voluntary...
Read More

In News The Ministry of Tourism has formulated a Draft National Strategy and Roadmap for Rural Tourism to develop and promote local products through tourism. The Centre has sanctioned Rs. 120 crores for Rural Circuit. Draft National Strategy and Roadmap for Rural Tourism formulated Key Strategic Pillars: In order to develop rural tourism in the...
Read More

In News  The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) tested the “vertical launch-short range surface-to-air missile”, successfully. About Vertical Launch Short Range Surface to Air Missile (VL-SRSAM) It is indigenously developed by DRDO and designed for deployment onboard Indian Naval warships. It can engage targets at around 15km It is meant for neutralising various aerial...
Read More