Home » Health » Malaria Death Rate Rises Due to Covid-19 Pandemic

Malaria Death Rate Rises Due to Covid-19 Pandemic

Jakarta, CNN Indonesia

World Health Organization (WHO) revealed that the Covid-19 pandemic has disrupted health services so that the number of cases and deaths malaria ride.

According to the latest WHO report, it is estimated that there will be 241 million malaria cases and 627 thousand deaths due to malaria worldwide in 2020. This figure shows an increase in cases of around 14 million and 69 thousand malaria deaths, up more than the previous year.

About two-thirds of these additional deaths (47,000) are related to disruptions in the provision of malaria prevention, diagnosis and treatment during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Sub-Saharan Africa accounts for, roughly, at least 95 percent of all malaria cases and deaths in 2020.

Figures for last year could have been much worse, with the WHO saying its original estimate anticipated a possible doubling of malaria-related deaths by 2020. But they say many countries are trying to improve their programs to fight malaria.

“Thanks to the hard work of public health agencies in malaria-affected countries, the worst projections of the impact of Covid did not occur,” said Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General, as quoted on the official website. WHO, Monday (6/12).

“Now, we need to harness that same energy and commitment to reverse the setbacks caused by the pandemic and increase the pace of progress against malaria,” he added.

However, this rising malaria mortality rate has made WHO and its partners recognize the need to ensure better and fairer access to all health services – including malaria prevention, diagnosis and treatment – ​​by strengthening primary health care and increasing domestic and international investment.

Innovation in new tools is also presented as an important strategy to accelerate progress against malaria.

One important new preventive tool is RTS,S/AS01 (RTS,S), the first vaccine recommended by WHO against human parasites.

In October 2021, WHO recommended RTS,S for children living in sub-Saharan Africa and in other areas with moderate to high transmission of P. falciparum malaria.

(bait)

[Gambas:Video CNN]


– .

Leave a Comment

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.