The enormous pressure on healthcare systems around the world during the current coronavirus pandemic makes it harder for humanity to fight the spread of malaria, Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates recalled in a blog post. .
The American billionaire believes that, as COVID-19 spreads around the world, “It is important to remember that the deadliest animal in the world has not taken a break during this pandemic“.
“Mosquitoes do not maintain social distancing. And they don’t wear masks. Mosquitoes bite every night and infect millions of people with malaria, a disease that kills a child every two minutes of every day.“Gates wrote.
According to the businessman, in many countries the pandemic is likely to reach its peak at the worst possible time: the height of the malaria transmission season.
Gates recalled that during the ball outbreak in Africa six years ago, many more people died from malaria, tuberculosis and AIDS than from that disease, because all medical attention was directed to fighting the new virus.
“Health officials fear the same could happen with covid-19“the Microsoft co-founder warned in his article.
In addition, he noted that the pandemic has caused problems in many African regions with regard to the supply of mosquito nets, essential medicines and rapid tests. He added that, according to the WHO forecast, if the situation is not resolved, mortality from malaria in sub-Saharan Africa will reach the level of 2000 this year, when 764,000 people died.
“There is no choice between saving lives from covid-19 and saving lives from malaria. The world must allow these countries to do both“, concluy Gates.
– .
