World Unites to Kick Out Malaria

All Africa

The Times of Zambia (Ndola)

By Edward Mulenga
Ndola

APRIL 25, 2008 will obviously remain memorable to many Zambians. Livingstone, the tourist capital was honoured with hosting the inaugural World Malaria Day (WMD).

The occasion witnessed by notable figures, including Malaria goodwill ambassadors, Princess Astrid of Belgium and famous South African musician, Yvonne Chaka Chaka, brought together several dignitories whose respective roles, spelt out what can be achieved through collective efforts.

The Livingstone community was lifted up with the volume of activities undertaken prior to the day itself, which the residents described as an honour.

Anti malaria expedition notable among the events preceding the commemoration was the Zambezi River of Life Expedition (ZAROLE), which entailed a 2,500km voyage from its source in Mwinilunga, across six Southern African Development Community (SADC) countries Zambia, Zimbabwe, Angola, Namibia, Botswana and Mozambique, where it pours into the Indian Ocean.

The 2,500 km voyage, planned in Livingstone in February, 2000 and launched on March 29, 2008, under the leadership of German Journalist Helge Bendl and Swiss boating expert, Andy Leeman, has already show- cased successes and highlighting the challenges associated with fighting the disease which knows no borders and one of the leading infectious diseases.

During the expedition team's stop over in Livingstone for the World Malaria Day, Mr Bendl said the expedition had so far exposed several setbacks in the health care and thanked the Roll Back Malaria Partnership for making the exercise successful. "By exposing the difficulties of delivering mosquito nets and medications to remote areas, the Zambezi expedition will demonstrate that only a coordinated cross border action can force the disease to recoil and turn the lifeline of Southern Africa into a river of life to those threatened by Malaria," he said.

The expedition team found many Angolans walking to nearby Zambia for health services lacking in their country due to the 27 year war, as Mr Bendl commended Zambia's successful record of fighting Malaria although a lot still needed to be done in remote areas.

Mr Bendl, however, said the SADC region collaboration has kept the Malaria fight on course, towards remarkable success, although a lot more has to be done. As part of the multi-directional confrontation against the disease, 30 men cycled from Serenje and arrived in Livingstone on the WMD, covering a distance of more than 1000 kilometres. Health Minister Brian Chituwo, who is SADC health ministers chairman said the regional body has resolved to initiate joint control measures towards significantly reducing malaria illnesses and deaths in the region.

Dr Chituwo said through the Southern Africa Regional Network (SARN), centred on collaboration, it is necessary to work together to harmonise their vector control and anti malarial drug policies to standardise interventions in the region.

He said the Lubombo Spatial Development Initiative by South Africa, Mozambique and Swaziland was such an example of collaboration in fighting Malaria- with the Mozambique segment extended to prevent malaria from afflicting more than 500,000 people in the LSDI control areas. "In addition, the cross border initiative through the Trans-Zambezi initiative also demonstrates our commitment to ensuring that malaria is eliminated through joint activities in border towns," Dr Chituwo said.

Disease burden is a major public health problem in more than 90 countries, inhabited by almost 2.5 billion people, or 40 per cent of the world's population, malaria is estimated to kill child every 30 seconds and to cause up to 350 million new infections worldwide every year.

According to the WHO, malaria is the biggest killer disease for children in Africa (more than AIDS, TB or any other disease) and a primary cause of death and poverty, with over 60 prevalence and 90 per cent deaths recorded in Africa.

About 350 to 500 million infections and over one million deaths, mostly among the young in Africa are recorded annually. "With between one and three million deaths recorded annually and 3,000 children deaths daily, malaria remains one of the globe's leading infectious killers with most victims being children under the age of five and pregnant women," the WHO report says.

Malaria's catastrophic economic impact by taking up 40 per cent of developing countries health expenditure which coupled with its burden on families, is undermining development in some of the poorest countries in the world, malaria remains an economic catastrophe.

According to the RBM partnership, Africa loses $12 billion in productivity annually, as annual economic growth of malaria-endemic countries stands at 1.3 per cent lower than non malaria-endemic nations, while countries which have brought down malaria like Mozambique, have recorded improved growth. The WHO also estimates that sub-Saharan Africa's Gross Domestic Product (GDP) would be up to 32 per cent greater today had malaria been eliminated 35 years ago. This would mean up to $100 billion added to the region's current GDP, a sum nearly five times greater than all development aid provided to Africa in 2007.

To reverse this repugnant situation, stakeholders made several contributions to the reduction of malaria on the eve of the WMD in Livingstone. PermaNet donated 300 insecticide treated nets (ITNs) to the Livingstone General Hospital, while other global partners also reaffirmed their commitment to malaria fight.

Director of public relations and communication, Peter Cleary said 1,500 more nets had been presented to the expedition team for distribution to Zambians settled along the Zambezi River, from its total of 135million nets produced since inception in 1992.

"We believe that our work and that of our partners will one day afford all humanity the basic human rights that so many are currently without. We are proud to sponsor the Zambezi River of Life Expedition, bringing good health and hope to the people of the river of life," Mr Cleary said.

Princess Astrid led other dignitaries in touring and presenting ITNs to the Livingstone General and Batoka hospitals and saluted all the partners for their commitment to fighting the killer disease.

Roll Back Malaria Partnership(RBM) executive director Dr Awa Marie Coll-Seck saluted the partners for their commitment as shown through their support to the expedition and called for more material and financial support.

Medicines for Malaria Venture (MMV), an anti Malaria drug manufacturing company, vice-president for public affairs, Anna Wang said it is important to cut the transmission cycle of the disease.

According to Ms Wang, MMV manages the largest portfolio of malaria drug research with over 40 projects in different stages involving more than 600 scientists. "MMV's goal is to make a public health impact and meet the needs of the 3.2billion people at risk from this deadly disease," she said.

And Malaria Control and Evaluation Partnership (MACEPA) official, Judith Robb McCord said it is important to continue mobilising global commitment to the fight against malaria.

Ms McCord said there was need to bring the global community on board for increased funding and emphasised the need for continued distribution of mosquito nets. She commended US President George W Bush for launching the 2005 Presidents Malaria Initiative pledging to increase the US malaria funding by $1.2billion over five years, to reduce deaths by 50 per cent in 15 African countries.

Novartis director of public affairs, Rebecca Stevens said her company, which manufactures Coartem is currently developing a 95 per cent cure rate for paediatric cases. Ms Stevens said as a world leader in offering medicines that protect health, cure diseases and improve well being-without profit- Novartis has provided over 140 million coartem treatments to malaria patients worldwide since 2001, thus contributing to saving lives. Ms Stevens said 75 per cent of the 140 million Coartem treatments were for infants.

Another expedition sponsor, Olyset Net spokesman, John Lucas declared that society was winning the battle against Malaria through collaboration such as the expedition.

Chaka Chaka said she had been ignorant about malaria, until five years ago when it killed her fellow musician and dedicated her life to fighting it and ensure it was defeated. Exon-Mobil medical director for global issues and projects Stephen Phillips said the expedition was a sample of what could be achieved through partnership.

Dr Phillips said the expedition was one of the symbolic examples of partnership ad described it as a sign of the political will shown by the leadership.

Netsforlife representative, Robert Radtre said he was happy with the well documented behavioural change and that malaria had shown no borders and looked forward to reaching many people.

Vice-President Rupiah Banda declared that Zambia will stay in the global partnership against malaria until it is defeated.

Mr Banda said Zambia has started to reap positive results from its investment in malaria control as indicated by the 2007 health management information system which had also shown reduced malaria cases.

He described Zambia's hosting the WMD as an honour, apart from being appropriate for the Livingstone city as the famous Scottish missionary and explorer David Livingstone, whom the town is named after, had died of malaria.

The Vice-President said the Zambian Government noted the successes of collective efforts and hoped the current momentum would be sustained to a point where society would be free from malaria.

Mr Banda, who saluted the various partners in the fight against malaria for their unwavering commitment said malaria had ceased to be an African disease, but a global challenge, hence the more active involvement from international organisations and individuals from the developed world.

He said the theme of the World Malaria Day 'Malaria-A Disease Without Borders' with its accompanying slogan, "United against Malaria", was appropriate because Malaria was now a global health problem. The Vice-President said the WMD was a culmination of African leaders commitment made at the 2000 Abuja summit in Nigeria, where they declared to reduce malaria illnesses and deaths by 50 per cent by the year 2010.

In the declaration, the leaders pledged to introduce and intensify malaria control interventions and ensure 60 per cent of Africans accessed cost effective and affordable anti malaria drugs, 60 per cent, especially pregnant women and children sleep under ITNs and 60 per cent of pregnant women to access international preventive treatment (IPT). Evidently, Zambia has made tremendous efforts towards achieving RBM goals, by placing health as a priority sector focussing on the attainment of the national development goals and the Malaria related Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).

He said Zambia had achieved increased ITNs use, effective anti-malaria efforts, availability of tools to diagnose malaria and ensure proper management of malaria and increased coverage of IPT for pregnant women.

The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and the Medicines for Malaria Venture(MMV) are helping to develop new drugs, while the US President's Malaria Initiative, Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, and the World Bank's Booster Program for Malaria Control in Africa are working with ministries of health on delivery and access issues. More importantly, about 70 per cent of pregnant women in Africa attend antenatal clinics at least once during their pregnancy.

A regime of SP helps protect pregnant women from possible death and anaemia and also prevents malaria-related low birth weight in infants, which causes about 100,000 infant deaths annually in Africa.

Solutions to fight Malaria has been reduced and even eliminated in many parts of Asia, Europe and the Americas. Yet in Africa, with very efficient mosquito vectors, increasing drug resistance and struggling health systems, malaria infections have actually increased over the last three decades.

To control malaria, and to ultimately assure families of malaria-free lives, the use of ITNs, indoor residual spraying(ISR), increased access to diagnosis and anti malarial drugs, will help stop Malaria. In addition, strengthened antenatal care services for pregnant women, education - empowering families and communities with the knowledge and resources to combat this disease are also vital steps. And while working to control malaria through available tools, there is need to continue supporting the development of a vaccine.