In six years, malaria may become history to Malawi only if the government put more into the fight against the disease, the Health and Rights Education Programme (HREP) made the call through a press statement issued on Wednesday, April 24.
HREP, a non-governmental organisation specialising in advocacy, policy, and research, made the statement as the globe is today commemorating World Malaria Day.
Three years ago the Malawi government launched the ‘Zero Malaria Starts with Me’ campaign and has since made progress in decreasing cases of the disease but with an estimated 6.2 million cases each year, malaria remains one of the deadliest diseases in Malawi.
To change the narrative, HREP believes that adequate allocation of resources and evidence-based interventions by the government would help to eliminate the disease by 2030 in the country.
“We urge the government to prioritize malaria prevention and treatment by allocating adequate resources and implementing evidence-based interventions. Every life lost to malaria is a reminder of the urgency to act swiftly and decisively,” reads part of the HREP statement.
The organization further says this is the best time for the government of Malawi to strengthen healthcare systems, particularly in malaria-endemic regions, to ensure access to diagnosis, treatment, and preventive measures for all.
HREP also highlighted the importance of investing in research and innovation which it has described as essential to stay ahead of evolving malaria strains and combat drug resistance.
The NGO has also encouraged the government to increase funding for research and development of new tools and approaches to fight malaria effectively.
“In line with this year’s theme, we reaffirm our commitment to advancing malaria elimination efforts through advocacy, capacity building, and partnership development and accelerating the fight against malaria for a more equitable world.” Includes another part of the HREP statement.
According to the 2020 Health Management Information System (HMIS) data, Malaria continues to be a major public health problem and is responsible for approximately 7 million cases and 36% of outpatient visits across all ages.
This year, World Malaria Day is being commemorated under the theme, “Accelerating the Fight against Malaria for a More Equitable World,” which underscores the urgent need to redouble efforts in the fight against malaria.
