According to World Health Organization(WHO ), about 3.2 billion people – almost half of the world’s population are at risk of malaria. Between 2000 and 2015, malaria incidence among populations at risk (the rate of new cases) fell by 37% globally.
In that same period, malaria death rates among populations at risk fell by 60% globally among all age groups and by 65% among children under 5.
Sub-Saharan Africa carries a disproportionately high share of the global malaria burden. In 2015, the region was home to 88% of malaria cases and 90% of malaria deaths.
In 2015, WHO said in its annual report released Wednesday ahead of World Malaria Day 2016 on April 25, that for the first time, all the countries in the European region reported no original cases of malaria.
From 1995 to 2015, the number of so-called indigenous or locally transmitted malaria cases dropped from 90,712 to zero in Europe, the Caucasus and Central Asia, which are the areas that constitute the WHO’s European region.
According to Zsuzsanna Jakab, WHO regional director for Europe:
This is a major milestone in Europe’s public health history and in the efforts to eliminate malaria globally.
Jakab, however, stated that there was the risk of a reappearance of the disease due to people traveling to and from malaria-endemic countries.
According to the U.N agency, Strong political commitment, improved detection, and surveillance of malaria cases, mosquito control, cross-border collaboration all contributed to the wiping out of the mosquito-borne disease.
The WHO said, maintaining zero cases in the European Region will require sustained political commitment, resources, and constant vigilance.
A big congratulation to Europe, I hope that with time, this will be accomplished in Nigeria and in other African countries
