Latest news with #President'sMalariaInitiative
Yahoo
25-04-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Opinion - I survived cerebral malaria, but millions of others won't without American leadership
Each December, I mark the anniversary of my survival from cerebral malaria. That near-death encounter left me partially blind, profoundly changed and forever aware of the precarious nature of global health. I contracted malaria in 2012 while working on a project in Liberia funded by the U.S. Agency for International Development. What started as fever and chills after a weekend in a coastal village spiraled into unconsciousness. Within days, I was in a coma, with parasite-laden blood cells swelling my brain. I only survived because of an extraordinary improvised coalition of friends, colleagues and an overstretched clinic doctor who arranged my emergency evacuation to Paris. Millions of other people aren't as lucky. Today, malaria remains the leading cause of death in Liberia, a nation of 5.5 million people. Roughly one in 10 Liberian children dies before their fifth birthday — many from preventable causes like malaria. In the rainy season, roads become impassable, and rural families often walk for miles to reach a clinic — only to find no medicine, no trained staff and no tests. For nearly two decades, America had been a beacon of hope in this fight. That ended with the dismantling of USAID. The President's Malaria Initiative was the U.S. government's largest program to combat malaria. Led by USAID and co-implemented with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the initiative partnered with countries that account for around 90 percent of the world's malaria cases and deaths. It was one of the most effective foreign assistance programs in modern history. Alongside its local partners, the initiative made it possible for families to protect themselves. In Liberia, the President's Malaria Initiative supported the training and payment of community health workers, distributed long-lasting insecticide-treated nets, provided diagnostic tests and lifesaving treatment, and supported the national malaria control strategy. These efforts have helped cut child malaria prevalence by more than half over the last six years. Globally, the impact has been even more striking. Since 2000, the President's Malaria Initiative and its partners have helped save 12.7 million lives and prevent 2.2 billion malaria cases, according to the World Health Organization. This includes 177 million malaria cases and 1 million deaths averted in 2023 — in just one year. Strikingly, death rates from malaria in countries that partner with the President's Malaria Initiative have dropped around 50 percent since 2006. However, despite this life saving effect, some are now asking whether it is really worth it. Can we really afford to invest in a disease halfway across the world? Here's the truth: Malaria interventions are among the most cost-effective in global health. A rapid diagnostic test costs just 28 cents, treatment is 87 cents and a protective bed net is under $2. These low-cost tools save lives and deliver a high return on investment — preventing missed work for parents, missed school for children and millions in avoidable healthcare costs across countries where the disease is endemic. But the case for continued investment goes beyond compassion and cost-effectiveness. Development is not charity — it's strategy. Supporting malaria prevention strengthens our diplomatic relationships, builds resilient health systems and makes the world — and the U.S. — more secure. In his confirmation hearing, Secretary of State Marco Rubio underscored why this matters for American interests. 'The impact that malaria has is not simply a health crisis or a humanitarian crisis,' he said. 'It has deep economic implications … It literally sets people and communities back … And the cost-benefit of an investment, leveraging private partnerships to deal with things like malaria, pays extraordinary dividends … as part of an overall approach to Africa, [it can] improve our prosperity, our security.' Helping partner countries combat malaria fosters goodwill, trust and stability in regions critical to U.S. long-term strategic goals. It is soft power at its most effective — saving lives while reinforcing the kind of partnerships that prevent conflict, build economic ties and counter the influence of adversaries. In a world where global health threats cross borders with ease, our investment abroad is an insurance policy at home. The President's Malaria Initiative wasn't just about fighting mosquitoes. It was strengthening local health systems, creating stability and supporting nations to build healthier, more resilient futures. That's why its dissolution — alongside USAID — is so dangerous. When the U.S. walked away, progress stalled. Pregnant women have lost access to preventive care. Children are dying without basic medicine. Community health workers — the frontline defense in rural villages — are going unpaid and unsupported. And malaria will now come roaring back, just as it had in the past when vigilance faded. In fact, internal USAID estimates cite that more than 160,000 people will die from malaria every year from the abandonment of these programs if they are not restored. I know what's at stake. I lived it. And I was one of the fortunate ones. After months of recovery from cerebral malaria — including temporary blindness and severe anemia — I returned to Liberia. I went back because I believed in its people, its future and the power of global partnership. That belief hasn't changed. But the political will to stay in the fight might. Malaria is beatable. The tools exist, the science is sound and the return on investment is clear. What we need now is continued leadership, not retreat. In honor of this year's World Malaria Day, let's not abandon one of the greatest public health success stories of our time. Let's finish what we started. Jessica Benton Cooney is a USAID staff member. This piece was written in her personal capacity. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
The Hill
25-04-2025
- Health
- The Hill
I survived cerebral malaria, but millions of others won't without American leadership
Each December, I mark the anniversary of my survival from cerebral malaria. That near-death encounter left me partially blind, profoundly changed and forever aware of the precarious nature of global health. I contracted malaria in 2012 while working on a project in Liberia funded by the U.S. Agency for International Development. What started as fever and chills after a weekend in a coastal village spiraled into unconsciousness. Within days, I was in a coma, with parasite-laden blood cells swelling my brain. I only survived because of an extraordinary improvised coalition of friends, colleagues and an overstretched clinic doctor who arranged my emergency evacuation to Paris. Millions of other people aren't as lucky. Today, malaria remains the leading cause of death in Liberia, a nation of 5.5 million people. Roughly one in 10 Liberian children dies before their fifth birthday — many from preventable causes like malaria. In the rainy season, roads become impassable, and rural families often walk for miles to reach a clinic — only to find no medicine, no trained staff and no tests. For nearly two decades, America had been a beacon of hope in this fight. That ended with the dismantling of USAID. The President's Malaria Initiative was the U.S. government's largest program to combat malaria. Led by USAID and co-implemented with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the initiative partnered with countries that account for around 90 percent of the world's malaria cases and deaths. It was one of the most effective foreign assistance programs in modern history. Alongside its local partners, the initiative made it possible for families to protect themselves. In Liberia, the President's Malaria Initiative supported the training and payment of community health workers, distributed long-lasting insecticide-treated nets, provided diagnostic tests and lifesaving treatment, and supported the national malaria control strategy. These efforts have helped cut child malaria prevalence by more than half over the last six years. Globally, the impact has been even more striking. Since 2000, the President's Malaria Initiative and its partners have helped save 12.7 million lives and prevent 2.2 billion malaria cases, according to the World Health Organization. This includes 177 million malaria cases and 1 million deaths averted in 2023 — in just one year. Strikingly, death rates from malaria in countries that partner with the President's Malaria Initiative have dropped around 50 percent since 2006. However, despite this life saving effect, some are now asking whether it is really worth it. Can we really afford to invest in a disease halfway across the world? Here's the truth: Malaria interventions are among the most cost-effective in global health. A rapid diagnostic test costs just 28 cents, treatment is 87 cents and a protective bed net is under $2. These low-cost tools save lives and deliver a high return on investment — preventing missed work for parents, missed school for children and millions in avoidable healthcare costs across countries where the disease is endemic. But the case for continued investment goes beyond compassion and cost-effectiveness. Development is not charity — it's strategy. Supporting malaria prevention strengthens our diplomatic relationships, builds resilient health systems and makes the world — and the U.S. — more secure. In his confirmation hearing, Secretary of State Marco Rubio underscored why this matters for American interests. 'The impact that malaria has is not simply a health crisis or a humanitarian crisis,' he said. 'It has deep economic implications … It literally sets people and communities back … And the cost-benefit of an investment, leveraging private partnerships to deal with things like malaria, pays extraordinary dividends … as part of an overall approach to Africa, [it can] improve our prosperity, our security.' Helping partner countries combat malaria fosters goodwill, trust and stability in regions critical to U.S. long-term strategic goals. It is soft power at its most effective — saving lives while reinforcing the kind of partnerships that prevent conflict, build economic ties and counter the influence of adversaries. In a world where global health threats cross borders with ease, our investment abroad is an insurance policy at home. The President's Malaria Initiative wasn't just about fighting mosquitoes. It was strengthening local health systems, creating stability and supporting nations to build healthier, more resilient futures. That's why its dissolution — alongside USAID — is so dangerous. When the U.S. walked away, progress stalled. Pregnant women have lost access to preventive care. Children are dying without basic medicine. Community health workers — the frontline defense in rural villages — are going unpaid and unsupported. And malaria will now come roaring back, just as it had in the past when vigilance faded. In fact, internal USAID estimates cite that more than 160,000 people will die from malaria every year from the abandonment of these programs if they are not restored. I know what's at stake. I lived it. And I was one of the fortunate ones. After months of recovery from cerebral malaria — including temporary blindness and severe anemia — I returned to Liberia. I went back because I believed in its people, its future and the power of global partnership. That belief hasn't changed. But the political will to stay in the fight might. Malaria is beatable. The tools exist, the science is sound and the return on investment is clear. What we need now is continued leadership, not retreat. In honor of this year's World Malaria Day, let's not abandon one of the greatest public health success stories of our time. Let's finish what we started.
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
09-03-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
No disease is deadlier in Africa than malaria. Trump's US aid cuts weaken the fight against it
KAMPALA, Uganda (AP) — 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.' See for yourself — The Yodel is the go-to source for daily news, entertainment and feel-good stories. By signing up, you agree to our Terms and Privacy Policy. 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.
Associated Press
09-03-2025
- Health
- Associated Press
No disease is deadlier in Africa than malaria. Trump's US aid cuts weaken the fight against it
KAMPALA, Uganda (AP) — 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.'
