Yaounde Declaration

Source-This post on Yaounde Declaration is based on the article “Yaounde Declaration: Health ministers of 11 African countries commit to end malaria deaths” published in “DownToEarth” on 10th March 2024.

Why in the News?

Health ministers from African nations grappling with the heaviest malaria burdens have recently signed the Yaounde Declaration. It aims to eradicate malaria-related fatalities.

What is Yaounde Declaration?

About– The health ministers of 11 African countries with the highest burden of malaria signed this declaration. They have committed to take accelerated action to end deaths from the malaria disease.

Signed at– Yaoundé conference (Yaoundé is Cameroon’s capital), co-hosted by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Government of Cameroon.

Participants– Ministers of Health, global malaria partners, funding agencies, scientists, civil society organizations, and other principal malaria stakeholders.

Signatory countries– Burkina Faso, Cameroon, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ghana, Mali, Mozambique, Niger, Nigeria, Sudan, Uganda and Tanzania. These countries together accounts for more than 70 per cent of the global malaria burden.

Pledges stated in the declaration:
a. They promised to effectively tackle the malaria threat in Africa, where 95% of global malaria deaths occur.
b. They promised to lead better and invest more money within their countries to fight malaria, use new technology for data, follow the latest advice on malaria control, and improve efforts against malaria at both national and local levels.
c. The ministers also promised to invest more in health infrastructure, personnel, and programs, collaborate across different sectors, and form partnerships for funding, research, and innovation.
d. By signing the declaration, they showed their strong commitment to quickly reducing malaria deaths and pledged to hold each other and their countries accountable for the commitments in the declaration.

What is Malaria?

1. It is caused by the bite of the female Anopheles mosquito (vector) if the mosquito itself is infected with a malarial parasite.

2. There are five kinds of malarial parasites — Plasmodium falciparum, Plasmodium vivax (the commonest one), Plasmodium malariae, Plasmodium ovale, and Plasmodium knowlesi.

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