Invest in the future, defeat malaria

Global efforts to control and eliminate malaria have saved an estimated 3.3 million lives since 2000, reducing malaria mortality rates by 42% globally and 49% in Africa. Increased political commitment and expanded funding have helped to reduce malaria incidence by 25% globally, and 31% in Africa.
But we are not there yet. Malaria still kills an estimated 6,27,000 people every year, mainly children under 5 years of age in sub-Saharan Africa. In 2013, 97 countries had on-going malaria transmission.
Every year, more than 200 million cases occur; most of these cases are never tested or registered. Emerging drug and insecticide resistance threaten to reverse recent gains.
If the world is to maintain and accelerate progress against malaria, in line with Millennium Development Goal (MDG) 6, and to ensure attainment of MDGs 4 and 5, more funds are urgently required. With this importance, the theme for 2014 and 2015 is: Invest in the future. Defeat malaria.
However, the funding remains inadequate. The currently available funding is far below the resources required to reach universal coverage of interventions. An estimated US$ 5.1 billion is needed every year for this purpose. In 2012, the global total of international and domestic funding for malaria was US$ 2.5 billion — less than half of what is needed.
52 countries are on track to reduce their malaria case incidence rates by 75%, in line with World Health Assembly and Roll Back Malaria targets for 2015. These 52 countries only account for 4% (8 million) of the total estimated malaria cases. 59 countries are on track to meet the Millennium Development Goal target of reversing the incidence of malaria (between 2000 and 2015).
For prevention of malaria, controlling mosquito that harbors the parasite is the main way to reduce malaria transmission at the community level. It is the only intervention that can reduce malaria transmission from very high levels to close to zero. For individuals, personal protection against mosquito bites represents the first line of defence for malaria prevention. Two forms of vector control are effective in a wide range of circumstances-Insecticide-treated mosquito nets (ITNs) and Indoor spraying with residual insecticides.
Long-lasting insecticidal nets (LLINs) are the preferred form of ITNs for public health distribution programmes. The World Health Organisation (WHO) recommends coverage for all at-risk persons; and in most settings. The most cost effective way to achieve this is through provision of free LLINs, so that everyone sleeps under a LLIN every night.
Indoor residual spraying (IRS) with insecticides is a powerful way to rapidly reduce malaria transmission. Its full potential is realised when at least 80% of houses in targeted areas are sprayed. Indoor spraying is effective for 3–6 months, depending on the insecticide used and the type of surface on which it is sprayed. DDT can be effective for 9–12 months in some cases. Longer-lasting forms of existing IRS insecticides, as well as new classes of insecticides for use in IRS programmes, are under development.
Antimalarial medicines can also be used to prevent malaria. For travellers, malaria can be prevented through chemoprophylaxis, which suppresses the blood stage of malaria infections, thereby preventing malaria disease.

Source: World Health Organisation