Commonwealth Leaders Committed to Accelerate Fight Against Malaria

Commonwealth leaders are committed to advancing the fight against malaria and non-communicable diseases (NCDs) with pledges toward intervention actions.

The commitment was made at the Kigali Summit on Malaria and Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs), a side event of the Commonwealth leaders meeting in Rwanda’s capital city Kigali on Thursday.

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Malaria is caused by a parasite that enters blood through the bite of an infected mosquito. It is characterized by fever, vomiting, shivering, sweating and other symptoms.

‘Malaria is a preventable, treatable disease but every year, malaria sickens more than 200 million people and kills more than 600,000, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).’

Delegates at the summit hosted by the Rwandan government reaffirmed countries’ commitment to end malaria and neglected tropical diseases, Xinhua News Agency reported.

"Incredible commitments were made on co-financing towards the fight against malaria; more than $2.1 billion of funding commitments were spotlighted through today’s announcements by the Global Fund as domestic commitments made between 2021 and 2023," Rwandan Health Minister Daniel Ngamije told the summit.

Most of the victims are young children in Africa, who are most vulnerable.

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Ngamije also mentioned the need to increase funding for malaria control programs.

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The consequences of NTDs stretch beyond the health sector, greatly denting our economies, particularly African countries; the suffering of our people is unnecessary, said Botswana President Mokgweetsi Masisi.

Among the highlights, Melinda Gates, co-chair of the Gates Foundation, said that 15 years after countries called for the eradication of malaria, the Gates Foundation is stepping up its commitment by pledging $140 million over four years to support African institutions fighting malaria.

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"We’re asking leaders to increase commitments to the Global Fund. Reaching the $18 billion target will reduce malaria cases by two-thirds and eliminate the disease from six more countries by 2026, "she added.

Prince Charles of Wales said human health and planetary health are fundamentally connected and climate change is increasing the length of the malaria transition season in many parts of the globe.

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Ren Minghui, Assistant Director-General for Communicable and Non-communicable Diseases at the WHO outlined four priorities to keep countries on track toward 2030 Malaria and NTDs elimination goals.

These include integrating diseases into primary healthcare, innovating and developing new response and control tools, increasing domestic investments and adapting Malaria and NTDs interventions to the realities of countries with the highest burden, especially Africa and Asia.

The summit was one of a series of events taking place as part of the 26th Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting which runs from June 20 to 25.

Heads of governments from 54 Commonwealth countries are discussing ways how the contemporary Commonwealth can transform societies.

Source-IANS