Brazzaville, 25 April 2013 -- WHO Regional Director for Africa, Dr Luis Sambo,  has called for Increased domestic and external funding, stronger political commitment and  strengthened cross border collaboration and regional cooperation in the on-going fight to “defeat malaria” in the WHO African Region.

“Increased domestic and external funding is needed to ensure that adequate quantities of commodities, including enough Long Lasting Insecticide Treated Nets, Insecticides, Rapid tests, microscopes, reagents and antimalarial drugs are accessible and used rationally”,  Dr Sambo said in a message released in Brazzaville on Thursday to mark World Malaria Day, observed on 25 April across the globe.

Other critical actions needed in the fight against malaria include: integration of anti-malarial actions with maternal and child health, immunization, hygiene and sanitation initiatives; expansion of improved housing programmes; demonstration of strong political commitment; strengthened multidisciplinary and multisectoral collaboration, public-private partnerships and initiatives based on corporate social responsibility to complement investment by governments.

The Regional Director also pointed out that in order to mitigate threat to future success, continuous sound research to develop new cost-effective prevention and treatment tools and to conduct regular monitoring of insecticides and antimalarial drug resistance would be critical.

In the message, Dr Sambo listed some of the commendable achievements recorded by countries in the Region over the past   ten years. These include a 33% decrease in malaria deaths in Africa; the aversion of an estimated 1.1 million deaths; progress made by one fifth of the countries in the Region to meet the 2015 target of 75% reduction in malaria burden and regional initiatives to eliminate malaria or expand malaria free areas.

He, however, added that while on-going efforts had contributed towards improvements  in  child survival,  maternal health and  the welfare of individuals,  families, communities and affected countries, 90% of the 660 000 malaria deaths  reported globally in 2012  occurred in Africa, where one child still dies of the disease  every minute.

Concluding, Dr Sambo said “As we commemorate World Malaria Day, I call upon everyone to join the fight to defeat malaria. Politicians, parliamentarians, governments, private sector officials, civil society, faith-based organizations and the mass media should support community-based anti-malaria efforts“.
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For more information, please contact:

Technical contact:                      
Dr. Georges Alfred Ki-Zerbo
WHO Regional Office for Africa                
Brazzaville, Congo                         
Tel: +47 241 39 295
Email: kizerbog [at] afro.who.int

Media Contact:
Samuel T. Ajibola
Tel: +47 241 3978 
E-mail: ajibolas [at] afro.who.int