Latest news with #MalariaNoMore
Al Etihad
24-04-2025
- Health
- Al Etihad
UAE leads efforts to achieve malaria-free world
24 Apr 2025 15:18 ABU DHABI (WAM)The UAE is at the forefront of international efforts to reduce the spread of malaria, with its humanitarian initiatives and financial contributions playing a pivotal role in accelerating progress towards a world free of the the UAE marks 28 years without a locally transmitted case of malaria since 1997, and 18 years since being officially declared malaria-free, the disease continues to pose a global to the World Health Organisation, malaria caused the deaths of 597,000 people worldwide in the occasion of World Malaria Day, observed annually on 25th April, Dr. Farida Al Hosani, Deputy CEO of the Global Institute for Disease Elimination (GLIDE), affirmed that malaria remains a significant global health challenge, with an estimated 263 million cases reported in to the Emirates News Agency (WAM), Dr. Al Hosani said GLIDE is part of the UAE's legacy and continued commitment to combating infectious diseases around the world, under the patronage and guidance of UAE President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan. The institute prioritises research and innovation to guide global strategies through evidence-based policies, studies and research that support disease Al Hosani underscored the importance of coordinated international efforts in effectively addressing malaria, noting that many countries continue to face challenges such as limited human resources and research capacity necessary for treatment, prevention, and in 2019, GLIDE has made a significant contribution to the global health sector and to efforts to eliminate infectious diseases. Over the past six years, it has launched dozens of programmes in nearly 30 Last Mile Initiative, a global health programme supported by UAE President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, announced in April 2024 a new grant of Dh55 million to GLIDE — its second grant since the institute's UAE continues to contribute its expertise and resources to global malaria control efforts. International health organisations have commended the country's role in advancing malaria eradication, including its support for Malaria No More, the Last Mile Initiative, and sustained humanitarian efforts to enhance health and treatment programmes in collaboration with Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, and the Roll Back Malaria 2020, the UAE launched the Forecasting Healthy Futures (FHF) initiative to accelerate the fight against deadly mosquito-borne diseases, including January 2022, FHF established the Institute for Malaria and Climate Solutions (IMACS), a global body dedicated to tackling malaria amid increasing climate-related early January 2023, the Reaching the Last Mile initiative, Malaria No More and the Mohamed bin Zayed University of Artificial Intelligence (MBZUAI) announced the expansion of FHF through a new three-year grant totalling $5 million. Locally, the UAE continues to implement a robust strategy through the Ministry of Health and Prevention to protect society from communicable and infectious diseases. This includes a proactive preventive health system and an epidemiological surveillance programme to detect and manage cases entering the country.
The Independent
09-03-2025
- Health
- The Independent
No disease is deadlier in Africa than malaria. Trump's US aid cuts weaken the fight against it
Malaria season begins this month in a large part of Africa. No disease is deadlier on the continent, especially for children. But the Trump administration's decision to terminate 90% of USAID's foreign aid contracts has local health officials warning of catastrophe in some of the world's poorest communities. Dr. Jimmy Opigo, who runs Uganda's malaria control program, told The Associated Press that USAID stop-work orders issued in late January left him and others 'focusing on disaster preparedness.' The U.S. is the top bilateral funder of anti-malaria efforts in Africa. Anti-malarial medicines and insecticide-treated bed nets to help control the mosquito-borne disease are 'like our groceries,' Opigo said. 'There's got to be continuous supply.' As those dwindle with the U.S.-terminated contracts, he expects a rise in cases later this year of severe malaria, which includes problems like organ failure. There is no cure. Vaccines being rolled out in parts of Africa are imperfect but are expected to largely continue with the support of a global vaccine alliance. The Washington-based Malaria No More says new modeling shows that just a year of disruption in the malaria-control supply chain would lead to nearly 15 million additional cases and 107,000 additional deaths globally. It has urged the Trump administration to 'restart these life-saving programs before outbreaks get out of hand.' Africa's 1.5 billion people accounted for 95% of an estimated 597,000 malaria deaths worldwide in 2023, according to the World Health Organization. Health workers in the three African nations most burdened by malaria — Nigeria, Congo and Uganda — described a cascade of effects with the end of most U.S. government support. The U.S. has provided hundreds of millions of dollars every year to the three countries alone through the USAID-led President's Malaria Initiative. The U.S. funding has often been channeled through a web of non-governmental organizations, medical charities and faith-based organizations in projects that made malaria prevention and treatment more accessible, even free, especially for rural communities. Uganda in 2023 had 12.6 million malaria cases and nearly 16,000 deaths, many of them children under 5 and pregnant women, according to WHO. Opigo said the U.S. has been giving between $30 million and $35 million annually for malaria control. He didn't say which contracts have been terminated but noted that field research was also affected. Some of the USAID funding in Uganda paid for mosquito-spraying operations in remote areas. Those operations were supposed to begin in February ahead of the rainy season, when stagnant water becomes breeding ground for the wide-ranging anopheles mosquito. They have been suspended. 'We have to spray the houses before the rains, when the mosquitoes come to multiply,' Opigo said. Already, long lines of malaria patients can be seen outside clinics in many areas every year. Malaria accounts for 30% to 50% of outpatient visits to health facilities across the country, according to Uganda National Institute of Public Health. Nigeria and Congo Nigeria records a quarter of the world's malaria cases. But authorities have reduced malaria-related deaths there by 55% since 2000 with the support of the U.S. and others. That support is part of the $600 million in health assistance the west African country received from the U.S. in 2023, according to U.S. Embassy figures. It was not immediately clear whether all of that funding has stopped. The President's Malaria Initiative has supported Nigeria's malaria response with nearly 164 million fast-acting medicines, 83 million insecticide-treated bed nets, over 100 million rapid diagnostic tests, 22 million preventive treatments in pregnancy and insecticide for 121,000 homes since 2011, the embassy says. In Congo, U.S government funding has contributed about $650 million towards malaria control since 2010. Now, some of the successes in fighting malaria in Congo are being threatened, which will complicate already difficult efforts to identify and track disease outbreaks across the vast country as supplies and expertise for malaria testing are affected. Worsening conflict in Congo's east, where some health workers have fled, has raised the risk of infection, with little backup coming. With the loss of substantial U.S. support, 'a lot of people are going to be affected. Some people are really poor and cannot afford (malaria treatment),' said Dr. Yetunde Ayo-Oyalowo, a Nigerian who runs the Market Doctors nonprofit providing affordable local healthcare services. Up to 40% of her organization's clients are diagnosed with malaria, Ayo-Oyalowo said. There is hope among health workers in Africa that, even after the dismantling of USAID, some U.S. funding will continue flowing via other groups including the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria. But that group also received U.S. support and has not issued a public statement on the dramatic cuts in U.S. aid. Opigo in Uganda said the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the National Institutes of Health might be sources of help. But he added: 'We need to manage the relationship with the U.S. very carefully." ___ Asadu reported from Abuja, Nigeria. AP journalist Dan Ikpoyi in Lagos, Nigeria contributed.
Yahoo
08-02-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
TB, malaria, newborn health services must restart, says USAID memo
By Jennifer Rigby LONDON (Reuters) - American-funded aid efforts to tackle diseases such as malaria, as well as preventing newborn baby deaths and treating severe malnutrition, should resume, according to a memo from the United States government reviewed by Reuters. President Trump moved to freeze international aid while undertaking a 90-day review hours after taking office last month. Secretary of State Marco Rubio issued a waiver a week later clarifying that "lifesaving" efforts were exempt during this period, but organizations on the ground remained confused over what was included. The memo seeks to clarify what can now restart. "These lifesaving activities must resume or continue in the next 30 days of the 90-day pause on foreign assistance to prevent imminent mortality among USAID beneficiaries," the memo states. It lists activities tackling tuberculosis, malaria, acute risks of maternal and child mortality, including severe acute malnutrition, and other life-threatening diseases and health conditions. It also said efforts to combat disease outbreaks, including mpox, avian flu and Ebola, should restart, and global health supply chain activities. USAID did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The memo is dated February 4, cleared by email on February 6. One aid group said they had received it on Friday. However, two sources said it was still unclear what could restart, and with what funding, especially given the hollowing out of USAID both in Washington and globally. Martin Edlund, CEO of Washington-based global non-profit Malaria No More, said the memo was an important step towards resuming programmes. "Even short-term interruptions of malaria prevention and treatment lead to outbreaks and deaths," he said. But he added that "start-work" orders would also need to be issued to all programmes to begin indoor spraying, net distribution, testing and treatment for malaria. A separate clarifying memo, dated February 6, also attempted to give more detail on a waiver issued last week for the United States President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR). In red at the top, it outlines that the care, treatment and prevention of mother-to-child HIV transmission "should be resumed as soon as possible".
Reuters
08-02-2025
- Health
- Reuters
TB, malaria, newborn health services must restart, says USAID memo
LONDON, Feb 8 (Reuters) - American-funded aid efforts to tackle diseases such as malaria, as well as preventing newborn baby deaths and treating severe malnutrition, should resume, according to a memo from the United States government reviewed by Reuters. President Trump moved to freeze international aid while undertaking a 90-day review hours after taking office last month. Secretary of State Marco Rubio issued a waiver a week later clarifying that"lifesaving" efforts were exempt during this period, but organizations on the ground remained confused over what was included. The memo seeks to clarify what can now restart. "These lifesaving activities must resume or continue in the next 30 days of the 90-day pause on foreign assistance to prevent imminent mortality among USAID beneficiaries," the memo states. It lists activities tackling tuberculosis, malaria, acute risks of maternal and child mortality, including severe acute malnutrition, and other life-threatening diseases and health conditions. It also said efforts to combat disease outbreaks, including mpox, avian flu and Ebola, should restart, and global health supply chain activities. USAID did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The memo is dated February 4, cleared by email on February 6. One aid group said they had received it on Friday. However, two sources said it was still unclear what could restart, and with what funding, especially given the hollowing out of USAID both in Washington and globally. Martin Edlund, CEO of Washington-based global non-profit Malaria No More, said the memo was an important step towards resuming programmes. "Even short-term interruptions of malaria prevention and treatment lead to outbreaks and deaths," he said. But he added that "start-work" orders would also need to be issued to all programmes to begin indoor spraying, net distribution, testing and treatment for malaria. A separate clarifying memo, dated February 6, also attempted to give more detail on a waiver issued last week for the United States President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR). In red at the top, it outlines that the care, treatment and prevention of mother-to-child HIV transmission "should be resumed as soon as possible". Keep up with the latest medical breakthroughs and healthcare trends with the Reuters Health Rounds newsletter. Sign up here.
