Malaria control programs yield positive results, UN

Geneva, 17 Dec – (ANA) -  A massive scale-up in malaria control programs between 2008 and 2010 has resulted in the provision of enough insecticide-treated mosquito nets (ITNs) to protect more than 578 million people at risk of malaria in sub-Saharan Africa.

 Indoor residual spraying has also protected 75 million people, or 10% of the population at risk in 2009. The World Malaria Report 2010 describes how the drive to provide access to antimalarial interventions to all those who need them, called for by the UN Secretary-General in 2008, is producing results.

 In Africa, a total of 11 countries showed a greater than 50% reduction in either confirmed malaria cases or malaria admissions and deaths over the past decade. A decrease of more than 50% in the number of confirmed cases of malaria was also found in 32 of the 56 malaria-endemic countries outside Africa during this same time period, while downward trends of 25%–50% were seen in eight additional countries. Morocco and Turkmenistan were certified by the Director-General of WHO in 2009 as having eliminated malaria. In 2009, the WHO European Region reported no cases of Plasmodium falciparum malaria for the first time.

 The WHO Director-General, Dr Margaret Chan, highlighted the transformation that is taking place, "The results set out in this report are the best seen in decades. After so many years of deterioration and stagnation in the malaria situation, countries and their development partners are now on the offensive. Current strategies work." (ANA)

FA/ANA/17 December 2010-------