EMN
DIMAPUR, APRIL 24
National Vector Borne Disease Control Programme (NVBDCP), under the Directorate of Health and Family Welfare, Kohima, has announced to observe the World Malaria Day on April 25 on the theme ‘Invest in the future. Defeat malaria.’
The World Malaria Day theme means that a lot of investment has been made but we are not there yet. More investments need to be done at all levels from the government and community to the individual, Joint Director of SPO NVBDCP Dr. P Tia Jamir said in a press release. Stating that Malaria is as much an environmental and socio-economic issue as is a medical issue, the statement said it requires concerted effort from municipals, village councils, allied departments like PHED, Agriculture, RD, Urban, Forest, DIPR, etc and also various NGOs and individual citizens. It requires engagement at all levels from framing of policies to the change of behavior in the individual.
World Malaria Day (WMD) is commemorated every year on April 25 and recognises global efforts to control malaria. Globally, 3.3 billion people in 106 countries are at risk of malaria. In 2012, malaria caused an estimated 627,000 deaths, mostly among African children. Asia, Latin America, and to a lesser extent the Middle East and parts of Europe are also affected.World Malaria Day sprung out of the efforts taking place across the African continent to commemorate Africa Malaria Day. World Malaria Day is one of eight official global public health campaigns currently marked by the World Health Organization (WHO), along with World Health Day, World Blood Donor Day, World Immunization Week, World Tuberculosis Day, World No Tobacco Day, World Hepatitis Day and World AIDS Day.
World Malaria Day was established in May 2007 by the 60th session of the World Health Assembly, WHO’s decision-making body. The day was established to provide “education and understanding of malaria” and spread information on “year-long intensified implementation of national malaria-control strategies, including community-based activities for malaria prevention and treatment in endemic areas.”
Increased political commitment and expanded funding have helped to reduce malaria incidence by 25% globally, and 31% in Africa. Emerging drug and insecticide resistance threaten to reverse recent gains.
The goal of World Malaria Day is to energize commitment to fight malaria.
It is an occasion to highlight the need for continued investment and sustained political commitment for malaria prevention and control. It is also an opportunity for countries in affected regions to learn from each other’s experiences and support each other’s efforts; for new donors to join a global partnership against malaria; for research and academic institutions to flag scientific advances to both experts and the general public; and for international partners, companies and foundations to showcase their efforts and reflect on how to further scale up interventions.
