World Malaria Day 2022: Reduce the impact and save lives

World Malaria Day (WMD) is a globally recognised event commemorated every year on 25 April. This annual occasion brings about awareness globally to end malaria.

This year’s theme is ‘harness innovation to reduce the malaria disease burden and save lives’, as it encourages action to reduce suffering and death from the disease.

WMD highlights the importance of continued investment and sustained political commitment to malaria prevention and control.

“[It]remains a significant public health and development challenge. In the last year, about 95% of the estimated 228 million cases occurred in the World Health Organisation (WHO)/ Afro Region, along with 602 020 reported deaths.

Six of our countries, the worst-impacted in the Region, are reported to have accounted for up to 55% of cases globally, and for 50% of these deaths,” WHO Regional Director for Africa, Dr Matshidiso Moeti wrote.

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Malaria

Malaria is a life-threatening disease caused by parasites transmitted to people through the bites of infected female Anopheles mosquitoes.

According to WHO, the disease is a preventable and treatable disease that continues to have a devastating impact on the health and livelihood of people around the world.

It can be prevented using medicines and other preventive measures, such as insecticide-treated bed nets and indoor insecticide spraying.

“In 2020, there were an estimated 241 million new cases of malaria and 627,000 malaria-related deaths in 85 countries,”

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“Children under the age of five are more vulnerable to this disease, as more than two-thirds of deaths were among children living in the WHO African Region,” WHO said.

History

World Malaria day dates back to May 2007 as it was developed from Africa Malaria day, which was observed in 2001.

WMD was established by the 60th session of the World Health Assembly to educate people and spread information on this life-threatening disease.  

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