New findings published by the World Health Organisation (WHO) in its annual World Malaria Report show that the disease remains a deadly threat to millions worldwide.
The latest report reveals that the efforts of countries across the globe and investments made to strengthen health systems have paid dividends, with an estimated 185 million malaria cases and 997,000 deaths averted in 2021, while many countries within reach of eliminating malaria continued to make progress.
Following a substantial rise in deaths during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic, the number of deaths in 2021 did not increase further. All this was achieved thanks to countries’ heroic efforts and strong partnerships, despite the significant challenges faced over this period, including the ongoing pandemic and rising biological threats.
However, in the face of these ongoing challenges, the RBM Partnership to End Malaria calls on country leaders, donors, and policy makers to increase their malaria efforts and get the fight against this disease back on track or risk seeing cases and deaths rise substantially in the coming months and years.
“As we come to the end of 2022, we are now looking ahead to 2023 and welcome the opportunity, using these new findings, to continue the fight against malaria with renewed priorities and goals for the year ahead,” RBM said in a statement.
Following the launch of the World Malaria Report, the RBM Partnership came together to amplify this year’s findings and call for even greater action against malaria. We would like to extend our thanks to all those who amplified this year’s report and continue to share the findings with key stakeholders.
Malaria In Pregnancy Working Group Calls For Support To Speed Up Scale Up IPTp
Ahead of the AU Summit in February, the Roll Back Malaria (RBM) Partnership to End Malaria’s Malaria in Pregnancy Working Group invites partners to sign an open letter calling on African leaders to double down on efforts to protect women from malaria in pregnancy, a condition responsible for 50,000 maternal deaths and 200,000 newborn deaths each year.
Forming part of the Speed Up IPTp Scale Up initiative, the letter – which calls on leaders to ensure pregnant women receive at least three doses of IPTp-SP, a preventive treatment for malaria in pregnancy – will be presented to Heads of State during the AU Summit. Partners can also support by amplifying the letter to your wider networks using the toolkit provided.
RBM Partnership Participates In CPHIA 2022
December saw the second annual Internal Conference on Public Health in Africa take place in Kigali, Rwanda, bringing together researchers, policymakers and stakeholders to share perspectives and research findings in public health.
Interim CEO of the RBM Partnership, Dr Corine Karema, attended the conference, moderating a session alongside Dr Lul Pout Riek from Africa CDC to discuss the current epidemiology of major infectious diseases in Africa, including HIV, malaria, TB, and NTDs.
Additionally, Dr Corine Karema presented the RBM Partnership’s work alongside representatives from The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, and Africa CDC, on advocacy & resource mobilisation for the deployment of new tools. With a focus on R&D, her presentation highlighted the need to facilitate deployment and scale-up of new products, techniques and strategies to end malaria.
