219 million cases 435.000 Dead: for a Long time, the number of Malaria infections dropped steadily, and now it rises again. The world health organization (WHO) registered cases in the year 2017, for the second Time in a row, more malaria than in the previous year. Without a stronger use of the successes of the past few years threatened to be wiped out, warned the WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus on Monday.
There is an urgent need, the funds for the fight against Malaria to increase. “The fact that every two minutes a child dies of this preventable and curable disease is unacceptable.”
“Massive Wake-Up Call”
The number of recorded Malaria incidence increased by 2017 compared to the previous year by a good two million to 219 million cases, according to the world Malaria report of the WHO. A good 90 percent of all diseases in Africa. The number of deaths fell slightly from 451.000 in the year 2016, to 435,000 in the year 2017. Among the Victims were approximately 266.000 small children were up to five years.
For the period from 2010 to 2015, the WHO had reported every year, good progress in the fight against Malaria. However, since 2016, the case numbers have increased again, particularly in the most affected African countries such as Nigeria, Mozambique and the Congo.
This was a “massive Wake-up call,” said Tedros. The WHO announced an Initiative to support the most affected countries in a more targeted way. Around 70 per cent of all Malaria cases relating to eleven countries: Nigeria, Congo, Mozambique, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Ghana, Mali, Niger, Uganda, Tanzania, and India.
Malaria is a mosquito through bites of Anopheles-transmitted, which carry the pathogen in itself. You pricking, especially at night. The excitation – the so-called plasmodia – enter the bloodstream and multiply in the liver. In Africa, they are widespread and most severe Form, Malaria tropica, is caused by the pathogen Plasmodium falciparum. Malaria causes fever, anemia, and neurological problems. If left untreated, the disease can be fatal.
Poverty remains the main problem
In spite of the high danger of Malaria in the affected areas of Africa to 2017 slept according to the WHO, only about half of the population under insecticide-treated mosquito net – what is considered the most important measure of protection against Malaria. In addition, too few Pregnant women have access to prophylaxis’d still have drugs.
The international expenditure to tackle Malaria, were according to the WHO, 2017 at about $ 3.1 billion. In order to achieve the goal of reducing the number of Malaria illnesses and deaths by 2030, 90 percent, were at least $ 6.6 billion per year is needed, the WHO.
If any of the affected countries and the international community have increased their efforts, can Malaria be defeated, so Tedros. “I am confident that we will win the fight against this centuries-old disease and to come back to our common Vision: a world without Malaria.”
These countries are making progress
Some countries have made according to the WHO, 2017 with good progress in the fight against Malaria. In Ethiopia, Rwanda, India and Pakistan about the number of diseases had decreased significantly. This is because the countries have taken in the past few years, targeted protection measures. In Indian cities such as Calcutta authorities spraying, for example, gases that kill the mosquitoes. As a result, the risk of infection drops considerably.
The largest increase, however, Nigeria recorded about 1.3 million additional cases. The West African state has most of the Malaria cases worldwide, followed by the Congo. The control of the disease in these countries because of poverty, poor health system and poor infrastructure particularly difficult.
So far there is no nationwide vaccination against Malaria. There are prophylactic drugs that are often taken by travelers. Also they do not provide hundred percent protection. The best prevention is bites protection against mosquitoes. About half of the world’s population lives, according to the WHO in Malaria-risk areas. In the more prosperous Asia and in Latin America the prophylaxis and medical treatment are considerably better than in Africa.
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