Korede Abdullah in Lagos
The World Health Organization (WHO) has sounded the alarm on malaria, stating that the disease remains a significant threat in Africa, where 95% of global malaria deaths occur.
According to the WHO’s World Malaria Report on Wednesday, low- and middle-income countries bear the brunt of the disease’s impact.
WHO Director-General Tedros Ghebreyesus emphasized that despite efforts to combat malaria, it continues to disproportionately affect vulnerable populations, particularly children and pregnant women.
New WHO data shows significant strides in combating malaria, with an estimated 2.2 billion cases and 12.7 million deaths averted since 2000.
However, the disease persists as a major global health threat, disproportionately affecting the WHO African Region.
The report highlights the need for sustained investment and action to combat this preventable and treatable disease.
The WHO’s findings underscore the importance of strengthening malaria control and prevention measures, especially in Africa, to protect the most at-risk populations and ultimately eliminate this deadly disease.
