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MIDRAND, SOUTH AFRICA – Africa will be back on track to eliminating malaria if leaders like members of the Pan African Parliament (PAP) reaffirm global commitment and leadership to end the disease by crafting relevant policies and legislation.
These were the sentiments of Ms. Olivia Ngou, the Executive Director of Impact Afrique and Global Coordinator (Civil Society for Malaria Elimination) in her presentation today to PAP Members attending Committee Sittings of the continental legislative body in Midrand, South Africa.
“We believe that we will get back on track if we can first start by reaffirming global commitment and leadership with strong political engagement. We are very glad to speak today with parliamentarians as decision-makers and policymakers. As political leaders, you have the power to make the fight against malaria the priority in each country and in Africa because political engagement is key if we’re going to eliminate malaria,” Ms Ngou said.
She said the second big impact of malaria on the continent is the economic situation. According to recent studies, every $1 in malaria invested gets $40 in return.
“When communities have malaria, it also prevents them from going to work and school. It’s one of the greatest causes of workforce and school absenteeism. So it’s very important to increase investment in malaria, not only for economic return and saving lives, but to also improve health systems. And today the good news is that we do have the tools to end this disease. We do have insecticide treatment to prevent malaria as well as new malaria vaccines that have been deployed in several countries like Ghana.”
Statistics indicate that there are 63 million cases of malaria each year that are reported through the health system by people who go to the health center and get tested. In total, there are 263 million cases each year while 80% of deaths due to malaria from these cases are children under five. Africa accounts for 94% of these cases and 95% of all deaths are related to malaria.
“Nearly half of the 263 million cases are very concentrated in five countries – Nigeria, DRC, Uganda, Ethiopia, and Mozambique but we do also have other countries that are greatly affected, like Cameroon, Burkina Faso, Niger, Mali, etc. In the fight against this old disease, since 2010 we have observed a reduction of 40% of malaria mortality. And that’s because there was the arrival of new tools. So in 2010, there was the arrival of the new rapid diagnostic test,” Ngou added.
There were plans to have a reduction of malaria mortality by 40% but it is no longer the case. In 2025, there were plans to reduce malaria by 70%, and in 2030, the target is to reduce malaria mortality by 90%.
“In terms of malaria elimination, we were planning to eliminate malaria in 10 countries in 2020, in 10 more countries in 2025, and 35 countries in 2030. And in the countries that have already eliminated malaria, the goal was to prevent the re-establishment of malaria. I have to say, in 2025, just last year, we celebrated malaria elimination in Egypt and in Capo Verde, so those two countries in Africa were able to eliminate malaria in one year, meaning they have zero cases of malaria and zero deaths on malaria for the past five years. So Egypt and Capo Verde are the two last countries to have eliminated malaria in Africa,” she added.
Hon Mahmoud Saad, a PAP legislator from Egypt, lauded the existence of a global strategic plan to eliminate malaria by 2030 that was developed by the World Health Organization (WHO) and its partners. Now, each country has its own national malaria strategic plan, and usually, the strategic plans are for four years.
Hon Happymore Chidziva, a PAP Member from Zimbabwe, urged health and local authorities to prioritize hygiene and sanitation to reduce malaria cases.
“Our leaders, particularly in local authorities, should work to ensure drainages are unblocked. Mosquitoes thrive in blocked drainages and swamps. There is a need to work to improve infrastructure, both in rural and urban areas,” Hon Chidziva said.
Hon Kesitegile Gobotswang, a PAP Mlawmaker from Botswana said it is important to carry out public health education or primary healthcare to avoid confusing malaria and other diseases with similar symptoms to it.
Functional health care is fundamental for the fight against malaria.
Since the disease is mostly at the community level, it means that health workers must address malaria mostly at the community level. Malaria prevention, testing, and treatment should be at the community level and are often conducted by community health workers.
