World Malaria Report 2020

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News: World Health Organization(WHO) has released the World Malaria Report 2020.

Facts:

• Aim: To look at the 20 years of global progress and challenges in the fight against the Malaria.

Key Takeaways:

• Malaria Control: The two decades from 2000 to 2020 was a period of extraordinary success in malaria control: As many as 1.5 billion cases and 7.6 million deaths were averted.
• Burden of Malaria: At least 29 countries accounted for 95% malaria cases globally, with Africa carrying the highest burden.The continent accounted for 94% of the world’s malaria cases and deaths with an estimated 215 million cases in 2019.
• India: India is the only high endemic country which has reported a decline of 17.6% in 2019 as compared to 2018.India has contributed to the largest absolute reductions in the WHO South-East Asia Region from about 20 million cases in 2000 to about 5.6 million in 2019.
• Malaria Free: Sri Lanka was certified malaria free in 2015 and Timor-Leste reported zero malaria cases in 2018 and 2019.
• Concerns: The gains made in malaria control have levelled off in recent years and more so in the wake of COVID-19 as pandemic caused disruptions in essential malaria services.

Recommendations:

• WHO Initiatives: High burden to high impact initiative is a country-led response supported by WHO and the RBM Partnership to End Malaria to reignite the pace of progress in the global malaria fight.
• Examples to implement: The report referred to the Mass Action Against Malaria initiative in Uganda which is an example of a country-led process of political engagement at all levels and multi-sectoral and community mobilisation.
• National Plan for Insecticide Resistance: It has called on countries to develop a national plan for insecticide resistance monitoring and management and draw on the WHO Framework for a national plan for monitoring and management of insecticide resistance in malaria vectors.

Additional Facts:

• Malaria: It is a disease caused by Plasmodium parasites that are transmitted to people through the bites of infected female Anopheles mosquitoes.