The World Health Organization (WHO) has said that accelerated research and development in new tools for malaria prevention and treatment is crucial if the world is to eradicate the disease in the foreseeable future. According to information on WHO’s official website, less than one per cent of funding for health research and development investment go to developing tools to tackle malaria. WHO also stressed the urgent need for progress to advance universal health coverage and improve access to services, and better surveillance to guide a more targeted malaria response.
It said that the findings emerged in a report from its strategic advisory group on malaria eradication. According to the Chairperson of the advisory group, Dr. Marcel Tanner, efforts should be geared toward effective strategies to effectively tackle the malaria scourge. “To achieve a malaria-free world we must reinvigorate the drive to find the transformative strategies and tools that can be tailored to the local situation. “Business as usual is not only slowing progress, but it is sending us backwards,” he said. He added that the group has published the executive summary of its report ahead of a WHO-hosted forum with the theme: “Rising to the challenge of malaria eradication” to be held in Geneva on September 9. WHO Director-General, Dr. Tedros Ghebreyesus, said that a malaria-free world would be a great feat for public health.
“Freeing the world of malaria would be one of the greatest achievements in public health and with new tools, and approaches we can make this vision a reality,” he said. News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the advisory group is composed of 13 leaders and scientists representing a range of disciplines and geographies. They are supported by representatives from WHO collaborating centres, WHO staff and other key stakeholders. Over the past three years, the advisory group has considered the biological, technical, financial, socio-economic, political and environmental factors that underpin malaria. Its final executive summary presents a set of findings and recommendations to WHO.
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