EndMalariaInNigeria: Cape Verde becomes third African Country to eliminate malaria

Saturday, January 13, 2024

Cape Verde becomes third African Country to eliminate malaria

Comfort Samuel (TV360)

The World Health Organization (WHO) has officially certified Cape Verde as a malaria-free country, a significant milestone for global health.

This achievement places Cape Verde among the elite group of 43 countries and 1 territory that has received such certification from the WHO.

Cape Verde is the third country in the WHO African region to attain this status, following Mauritius and Algeria, certified in 1973 and 2019, respectively.

Notably, the African continent bears the highest malaria burden, accounting for approximately 95% of global malaria cases and 96% of related deaths in 2021.

WHO Director-General, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, commended the commitment and resilience of the government and people of Cape Verde.

He explained that the certification reflects the success of strategic public health planning, collaboration, and sustained efforts to protect and promote health.

Tedros expressed optimism about the possibility of a malaria-free world with existing tools and new advancements, including vaccines.

The nation’s commitment to malaria elimination was further solidified with its inclusion in the national health policy in 2007. A strategic malaria plan from 2009 to 2013 laid the groundwork for success, focusing on expanded diagnosis, early and effective treatment, and comprehensive reporting.

No comments:

Post a Comment

Daily Malaria Nuggets

#ReportingMalaria Malaria is a life-threatening parasitic disease transmitted by mosquitoes. It was once thought that the disease came from fetid marshes, hence the name mal aria, ((bad air). In 1880, scientists discovered the real cause of malaria a one-cell parasite called plasmodium. Later they discovered that the parasite is transmitted from person to person through the bite of a female Anopheles mosquito, which requires blood to nurture her eggs.
#ReportingMalaria Malaria vaccine passes test in humans
#EndMalariaInNigeria With proper treatment, symptoms of malaria usually go away quickly, with a cure within two weeks. Without proper treatment, malaria episodes (fever, chills, sweating) can return periodically over a period of years. After repeated exposure, patients will become partially immune and develop milder disease
#EndMalariaInNigeria There's currently no vaccine available that offers protection against malaria, so it's very important to take antimalarial medication to reduce your chances of getting the disease. However, anti-malarials only reduce your risk of infection by about 90%, so taking steps to avoid bites is also important. -WHO
#EndMalariaInNigeria Nets are still on top: Insecticide treated nets are still one of the most cost effective tools to prevent malaria with the potential to reduce up to 50% of cases, despite the growing threat of insecticide resistance.
#EndMalariaInNigeria Prevention, treatment, research and diagnosis -countries need to invest in them to eradicate the malaria.
#EndMalariaInNigeria More research is being carried out to gain an even deeper understanding of the process of malarial recurrence.
#EndMalariaInNigeria Malaria occurs in nearly 100 countries worldwide. According to the 2013 World Malaria Report, there were more than 200 million malaria cases in 2012. An estimated 627,000 people died from malaria in 2012, 90 percent of them in Sub-Saharan Africa. Most of those who die from malaria are children under age 5.
#EndMalariaInNigeria Governments at the highest levels must be committed to reducing malaria
#EndMalariaInNigeria For first time, researchers can measure insecticide on surface of mosquito nets
#EndMalariaInNigeria Five types of Plasmodium parasite can infect humans. These occur in different parts of the world. Some cause a more severe type of malaria than others.
#EndMalariaInNigeria #Bite #Prevention Avoid mosquito bites by using insect repellent, covering your arms and legs, and using a mosquito net. Check whether you need to take malaria prevention tablets –if you do, make sure you take the right antimalarial tablets at the right dose, and finish the course.
#EndMalariaInNigeria "Malaria can be treated. If the right drugs are used, people who have malaria can be cured and all the malaria parasites can be cleared from their body. However, the disease can continue if it is not treated or if it is treated with the wrong drug. Some drugs are not effective because the parasite is resistant to them" -CDC.