Malaria, by its complexity involving health as well as environmental and socioeconomic determinants and consequences, relates to several of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). Close to 90% of deaths due to malaria worldwide occur in Africa. The poor, children, pregnant women, people living with HIV/AIDS, victims of unrest and disasters and non-immune travelers are particularly vulnerable. World Malaria Day - which was instituted by the World Health Assembly at its 60th session in May 2007 - is a day for recognizing the global effort to provide effective control of malaria. It is an opportunity. The Theme of Malaria Day 2011 is World Malaria Day under the Theme: "Achieving Progress and Impact''. The slogan of the celebration for the WHO African Region is "Together, we can achieve more".
This year’s celebration marks the end of the UN Decade to Roll Back Malaria (2001-2010). This year's celebration of Malaria is a unique opportunity to assess progress in terms of governance, program performance, partnerships and coverage of key interventions (Insecticide Treated Nets, Indoor Residual Spraying, Intermittent Preventive Therapy, Diagnostic tests and Artemisinin Based Combination Therapy). By the end of 2010, eleven countries in the Region had reduced the burden of Malaria by at least 50%.
On the Occasion of World Malaria Day, Dr Luis Gomes Sambo, The WHO Regional Director for Africa calls upon Governments, parliamentarians, Nongovernmental Organizations, the private sector, civil society groups, faith-based organizations and all exposed communities to learn from successes, strengthen partnerships, build program capacity at central and peripheral levels, enhance awareness and knowledge and mobilize financial resources to accelerate malaria control towards its eventual elimination as a major public health problem in Africa.
La Toile: WHO/AFRO Malaria Newsletter Vol. 3, No. 2, December 2011 (1.33 MB)