Source: http://www.who.int/campaigns/malaria-day/2015/wmd-banner-en.jpg

“We must recognize the urgent need to expand prevention measures and quality-assured diagnostic testing and treatment to reduce the human suffering caused by malaria,” stated World Health Organization (WHO) Assistant Director-General for HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis, Malaria and Neglected Tropical Diseases Dr. Hiroki Nakatani, in celebration of the World Malaria Day on 25 April 2015.

Malaria is a disease caused by parasites known as Plasmodium which are transmitted to people through infected Anopheles mosquito bites. According to the latest data of WHO, there were about 198 million malaria cases and 584, 000 deaths in 2013.

Among the first symptoms of malaria which appear 7-15 days after the bite are fever, headache, chills and vomiting. This could also lead to death when not treated within 24 hours.

WHO recommended that all suspected cases should be confirmed by parasite-based diagnostic testing before applying the treatment. According to WHO, the best available treatment is artemisinin-based combination therapies (ACTs). Artemisinin are isolated from sweet wormwood plant (Artemisia annua) which are powerful medicines known for their ability to reduce the number of Plasmodium parasites in the blood of malaria patients.

WHO also emphasized the need for most vulnerable groups like pregnant women, children under 5 and infants to receive preventive treatments like anti-malarial drugs to reduce the risk of infection.

WHO also added that a new global malaria strategy for 2016-2030 was also developed to reduce the disease burden by 40% in 2020 and 90% by 2030. The strategy also aims to eliminate the disease in at least 35 countries by 2030.

“We must take the malaria fight to the next level. Moving towards elimination will require high-level political commitment and robust financing, including substantial new investments in disease surveillance, health systems strengthening and research,” stated Dr. Pedro Alonso, Director of the WHO Global Malaria Programme.

Further information on World Malaria Day 2015 can be viewed at http://www.who.int/mediacentre/news/releases/2015/world-malaria-day-2015/en/ and further details about malaria can be seen at http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs094/en/.