DEPARTMENT of Health says it plans to eliminate malaria by achieving zero cases of locally transmitted malaria by 2018. Today, (25 April), people across the globe will take part in a wide range of activities to mark World Malaria Day.
The day is being commemorated to highlight successes for controlling malaria and the plight of the disease around the world.
The 2016 World Malaria Day will be held under the theme ‘End Malaria for Good.’
“The Department of Health has been very successful in reducing the malaria incidents in South Africa. SA has reversed the malaria incidents by 82% of the levels in the year 2000,” the department said.
According to World Health Organization’s (WHO) World Malaria Report 2015, there has been a major decline in global malaria cases and deaths since the year 2000, where mortality decreased by 60% with 62 million lives saved.
Moreover, 57 Countries reduced malaria cases by at least 75%, between the year 2000 and 2015. However, significant challenges remain globally with about 3.2 billion people at risk of malaria.
