New funding, science and tech that would prevent 350 million cases of malaria and 650,000 deaths in the next five years have been launched.
According to the Director General of the World Health Organization, Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, the world cannot afford to relax in its fight against malaria.
“If we relax our efforts malaria will come roaring back—and with a vengeance. My message to leaders of malaria-affected countries is clear: this fight will only be won through your leadership. Focused investments in primary health care are essential,” he said.
“If we relax our efforts #malaria will come roaring back—and with a vengeance. My message to leaders of malaria-affected countries is clear: this fight will only be won through your leadership.Focused investments in primary health care are essential”—@DrTedros
?@MalariaMustDie pic.twitter.com/EqhbhYqh5i— WHO (@WHO) April 18, 2018
Bill Gates and other donors through this latest initiative are reigniting efforts to wipe out malaria. The new funding totaling £2.7 billion (US$3.8 billion) would drive research and innovation and improve access to malaria prevention and treatments.
Global leaders noted that there should be no room for complacency in the fight against malaria which claims about 500,000 lives annually especially newborn and infants.
“History has shown that with malaria there is no standing still – we move forward or risk resurgence,” said Bill Gates ahead of the Malaria Summit held in London on Wednesday.
Through the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, he announced an additional US$1 billion through to 2023 plan to fund malaria research and development to try to end malaria for good.
“It’s a disease that is preventable, treatable and ultimately beatable, but progress against malaria is not inevitable,” Gates said. “We hope today marks a turning point.”
Among new funding and research commitments announced at the summit, the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria said $2 billion would be invested in 46 countries affected by malaria between 2018-20.
Pharmaceutical firms GSK and Novartis also increased investment into malaria research and development – of 175 million pounds ($250 million) and $100 million dollars respectively. And five agrichemical companies launched a joint initiative to speed up development of new ways to control mosquitoes.