Layan Damanhouri

Saudi Gazette

 

JEDDAH – The vast majority of malaria infections occur in Muslim countries, said the head of an organization to combat the disease.



Dr. Fatoumata Nafo-Traore, executive director of the Roll Back Malaria Partnership (RBM), called for an end to such infections at a panel discussion organized with the Islamic Development Bank (IDB) and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) at the IDB headquarters in Jeddah to commemorate World Malaria Day.



According to the WHO, there are 198 million cases of malaria a year causing 584,000 deaths annually.



“This means 1,600 deaths each day,” Nafo-Traore said. “Roughly 85 percent of malaria cases are in the Muslim World. “In those countries, there are 400,000 deaths each year.”



Turkish and Senegalese health ministers in addition to officials from Saudi Arabia and Indonesia participated in the dialogue on challenges and solutions to fight malaria around the globe.



In the past decade, funding from various factions has increased, including the IDB’s contribution.



More than $4 billion from the Global Fund has been dedicated to malaria control and elimination projects since 2002, including more than 210 million insecticide-treated nets distributed and millions of cases treated.



Nafo-Traore urged further investment in the eradication of the disease because it was causing a 1.3 percent GDP loss in malaria-infected countries each year.



When responding to questions why there was an urgent need to defeat the disease, she deemed it beneficial for the overall economy to have a healthy population, encourage economic growth, ensure security and reduce poverty.



She urged leaders from the OIC member states to increase their commitment to malaria control and elimination efforts so communities in these affected countries can thrive.



While there is still no proper vaccine, she added, other conventional methods have been working successfully and are cost-effective.



Since 2007, IDB has launched programs in providing aid, training for workers, raising awareness and maintaining sustainability.



The bank has cooperated with UN programs, non-governmental organizations, the Bill Gates Foundation and other groups to take part in fighting malaria in the world.



President of the IDB Dr. Ahmed Mohammad Ali called for a draft proposal to be outlined and cooperation to be made with the RBM to implement a new development agenda.



He said: “Battling malaria is a humanitarian and Islamic duty. “Fifty-nine of the OIC member states are affected. “The IDB is committed to play its role.”



Indonesian Director General of Disease Control and Environmental Health Dr. Mohammed Subuh announced that despite the decline in malaria cases in Indonesia, the country is still working to move from malaria-control to eradication.



Saudi Arabia has demonstrated a successful model in battling the threat of malaria.



The Kingdom has succeeded in reducing the number of malaria cases from 36,000 in 1998 to an estimated 35 cases today.



Deputy Minister of Health Dr. Abdulaziz Bin Saeed explained the challenges the Kingdom faced, namely the huge annual flow of Haj and Umrah pilgrims from different parts of the world.



When asked by Saudi Gazette how Saudi Arabia maintains its malaria-free status while hosting people from all over the world, Bin Saeed said health sectors have been strengthening surveillance and case detection as well as assigning mobile teams in different regions to trace illegal immigrants and malaria patients.



Turkish Health Minister Dr. Mehmet Muezzinoglu discussed his country’s eradication of the disease since since the last outbreak in 1977.



Today, Turkey enjoys a malaria-free indigenous status due to case detection and screening immigrants entering its borders.



He said: “We are willing to share our experience with others and offer both financial and material assistance as needed”.



Unlike other success stories, Senegal is suffering in its fight against malaria



Senegalese Minister of Health Awa Marie Coll-Seck urged sustainability and financial independence. “Only a quarter of financial aid is from the government," she said.