Luanda, Angola, – The U.S. President’s Malaria Initiative (PMI), led by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) and implemented together with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), today released its eleventh annual report, documenting progress across its programs. Angola has reduced all-cause mortality among children under five by 42 percent as a direct result of collective investment and action by the government, communities, donors, and partners.
Malaria is a major killer of young children in Africa. All are at risk of severe disease and death in the Greater Mekong sub-region. During pregnancy, malaria can pose a serious, life-threatening risk to a woman and her baby. Malaria is a main reason why adults miss work and children miss school, further entrenching poverty and food insecurity by stealing farmers from fields, and hampering education by keeping kids out of school.
However, global progress in the fight against malaria since 2000 has been truly historic and 6.8 million lives have been saved world-wide. The U.S Government and Angola have played a key role in this achievement. Malaria deaths have fallen nearly 60 percent globally thanks to improved tools, increased investment, and committed partnerships.
PMI operates in 19 of the highest burden countries across sub-Saharan Africa including, Angola, as well as Burma, Cambodia, and the Greater Mekong Region. In PMI focus countries in sub-Saharan Africa, malaria mortality rates decreased by 30 percent between 2010 and 2015, with 12 countries achieving 20-40 percent reductions. Malaria incidence decreased by 20 percent, with 10 PMI focus countries achieving 20-40 percent reductions.
PMI works with the Angolan Ministry of Health’s National Malaria Control Program to scale-up proven, cost-effective, and life-saving malaria control interventions. In just the past year, PMI protected more than 16 million people by spraying homes with insecticides. PMI also procured 25 million insecticide-treated mosquito nets (ITNs), 34 million ACTs and 71 million rapid diagnostic tests (RDTs). PMI is also helping train community health workers and medical personnel to care for people with malaria, and is helping governments take charge of malaria campaigns in their own countries.
Millions of people in Angola have benefited from protective measures against malaria and millions more have been diagnosed and treated for malaria.
“The push to end malaria is saving millions of lives, increasing attendance at school, improving worker productivity, and boosting local economies,” said U.S. Ambassador to Angola Helen La Lime.
In just the past year, PMI protected more than 16 million people by spraying homes with insecticides. PMI also procured 25 million insecticide-treated mosquito nets (ITNs), 34 million ACTs and 71 million rapid diagnostic tests (RDTs). PMI is also helping train community health workers and medical personnel to care for people with malaria, and is helping governments take charge of malaria campaigns in their own countries.
Despite remarkable gains against malaria in sub-Saharan Africa over the past decade, the disease remains one of the most common infectious diseases and a significant public health problem. In 2016, there were 212 million new cases of malaria and 429,000 malaria-attributed deaths worldwide, with around 90 percent of these occurring in sub-Saharan Africa. The vast majority of these cases and deaths were among children under the age of five. In Africa, a child dies every other minute because of the disease.
While there is much progress to be celebrated in the fight against malaria, it continues to exact an unacceptable toll on the world’s most vulnerable populations. Despite the historic gains, we still have a long way to go. Thus, the U.S. Government, through PMI, stands as a steadfast partner with Angola to end malaria for good.
