A lengthy article in today’s Solomon Times Online deals with the progress made in the past decade in eliminating malaria in the Asia Pacific Region.
Quoting some of the particularly relevant aspects of the article, they read.
In the Asia-Pacific (APAC) region, which is home to 60% of the world’s population, most countries have made tremendous progress against the disease, reducing malaria cases by half since 2010. Today there are a staggering 89% fewer deaths from malaria than 10 years ago.
Investments in malaria programs in the Asia-Pacific have strengthened supply chains, surveillance systems and health workers; these same systems and capabilities are needed to fight COVID-19 and future pandemics. For example, researchers using genetics to typically track malaria spread in southern and Central Africa are now using their malaria expertise to track COVID-19 variants in the United States; in near-elimination countries like Bhutan and Malaysia, field activities such as case investigation and contact tracing have been harmonised when possible to fight both malaria and COVID-19, in country and at ports of entry.
The COVID-19 crisis has given the international community a sobering insight into the reality of health insecurity that is all too familiar to billions at risk from malaria. Beyond the sizeable economic damage, this pandemic has reminded us that health may not be everything, but nothing else matters without health.
Australia and India have a prime opportunity at the upcoming G7 Summit to advocate for continued support to low- and middle-income countries for malaria elimination and health systems strengthening efforts. Sustained and increasing investment in primary health care, community health workers, and innovative tools to fight malaria has helped to save millions of lives globally, yet 2.5 billion people remain at risk in Asia-Pacific. The rapid progress we have made against COVID-19 in the last year should reinforce our commitment to that goal, particularly as many countries in the region are facing a spike in cases. Sunday 25 April was World Malaria Day.
End of quoted paragraphs.
Footnote
The full article appeared first on Devpolicy Blog (devpolicy.org), from the Development Policy Centre at The Australian National University and written by Lady Roslyn Morauta, Vice-Chair of the Board of the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria.
Dr Sarthak Das is the CEO of the Asia Pacific Leaders Malaria Alliance.
Yours sincerely
Frank Short
