A mix of bednet distribution, indoor spraying, improved access to treatment and advances in disease surveillance have resulted into what the UN agency describes as ‘dramatic redaction’ in malaria deaths to more than 50%.
Rwanda for its part stands at a drop rate of 66% achieved in a period 2005 and 2007, recent data shows.
In 2006, about 3.2 million cases of malaria were noticed in the country, but treatment including Arteminisim-based combination therapy (ACT) meant that just 5,626 deaths from the ailment were recorded, according to the WHO report.
Wide spread campaigns that have resulted into increased use of bednets and indoor spraying – as preventive measures, brought down malaria ‘inpatients’ or people diagnosed with malaria to about 150.000 in the same.
The new report released Thursday singles out Rwanda, Eritrea, Sao Tome and Principe, and Tanzania with the ‘most persuasive evidence’ indicating that good surveillance and high intervention coverage bring positive results.
All four countries reduced the malaria burden by 50% or more between 2000 and 2006–2007, in line with the World Health Assembly targets by 2010.
To accelerate progress in malaria control, the 2005 World Health Assembly (WHA) set targets of 80% coverage by 2015 for four key interventions: insecticide-treated nets for people at risk; appropriate antimalarial drugs for patients with probable or confirmed malaria; indoor residual spraying of insecticide for households at risk; and intermittent preventive treatment in pregnancy.
In Rwanda, based on data from 19 health centers, the WHO says the number of people admitted to hospital for any reason increased by 31%, but malaria inpatients by 10% – essentially meaning people diagnosed with malaria remains under control.
For the periods before 2005, malaria is said to have been the biggest problem with some 57% of patients recorded.
Increased funding for malaria control from government and donors also contributed to curbing the spread of the disease. Rwanda is getting millions of dollars from the Global Fund and the U.S. for health intervention programs.
However, data released government last month indicates that malaria remains the single biggest cause of death among children below 5years. The WHO report also affirms that small children remain by far the most likely to die of the disease globally.
"We know that malaria control interventions work and that we can make rapid progress towards ending malaria deaths," said Ray Chambers, the United Nations Secretary-General’s Special Envoy for Malaria. "Now is the time to expand these results to all of Africa and the rest of the world." (End)