Malaria still kills 1,100 a day

Protecting gains made against malaria

The past 20 years have seen major scientific developments. These have led to malaria deaths being cut from over 1 million to 405,000 a year.

This has been due in part to advances in treatments. Artemisinin-based treatments have replaced previous mono-therapies such as chloroquine. The new drugs have remained effective across Africa, which has largely been unaffected by treatment failures such as those observed in south-east Asia. About 4 million doses of child formulations of these treatments have been delivered, saving another 850,000 lives.

There have also been advances in prevention measures. For example, to mitigate the threat of insecticide resistance in malaria mosquitoes, scientists from private and public institutions have created new types of insecticidal bed nets and new chemical formulations for spraying houses. And countries such as Tanzania are using innovative distribution approaches involving schools so that they can maintain high coverage and access to essential malaria commodities.

But African countries don’t have resilient communities and strong health systems. This means that these past gains need to be protected vigorously.

Not all fevers are COVID-19

Initial symptoms of malaria – such as a high fever – may be similar to those of influenza and other viral infections such as COVID-19.

This underscores the need for malaria programme managers, community leaders and health workers in affected communities to continue to emphasise prompt diagnosis, effective treatment and improved prevention. But health workers and communities should not be put at any risk. Therefore essential information should be provided about both malaria and COVID-19.

In addition, special efforts will need to be made to avert indirect deaths. For example during the Ebola outbreak, a mass drug rollout was put in place in Sierra Leone to prevent malaria deaths.

Similarly, countries will require innovative approaches to ensure continued distribution of insecticide treated nets. The WHO has already sent an advisory to malaria-endemic countries on how to tailor their control efforts during the COVID-19 pandemic. Without this, Africa will bear the combined consequences of both diseases.

Since zero malaria starts with each one of us, we must keep up the malaria fight through this cloud of COVID-19.

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Fredros Okumu is the Director of Science, Ifakara Health Institute

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