World Malaria Report 2022 Launched in Parliament
On Monday 12th December, the All Party Parliamentary Group on Malaria and Tropical Diseases met to discuss the launch of the World Health Organisation’s World Malaria Report for 2022. In attendance were MPs and Peers, representatives from the World Health Organisation, researchers from national universities, and medical professionals.
National malaria programmes have this year managed to prevent further increases in malaria deaths, following a slip in progress due to COVID-19 in 2020. Malaria deaths in 2020 stood at 625,000, an increase from 2019 where 568,000 died from malaria. 2021 saw a move in the right direction, but still with 619,000 tragically dying from the disease. Whilst this represents progress, time is running out to reduce deaths from malaria to zero by 2030.
Malaria is a cruel disease posing a significantly heightened risk to children and pregnant women. Britain, along with other nations, plays a vital role abroad in securing vaccines and treatments for those at risk of contracting the disease.
Andrew Mitchell MP, Minister for International Development, spoke first at the event and said, ‘Every minute of every day of every year, a child dies entirely needlessly of this terrible disease, and that’s the fact that I have always kept in my mind. At the heart of our work is a shared ambition to end the preventable deaths of mothers, babies and children by 2030.’
Fiona Bruce MP said, ‘This wretched affliction brings tragedy to thousands of families around the world – and especially in Africa – every year. It is right that the UK continues in its world-leading role in funding research and development, national malaria programmes, and health services, and is indeed vital to ensure that the target of eradicating deaths from malaria by 2030 is met. I will continue to support this bold and necessary fight against malaria in whatever way I can, as I have done over many years, both with my fellow Parliamentarians, ministerial colleagues and constituents.’
More information about targets and the work the UK is doing can be found here: https://zeromalaria.org.uk/