Economy

Kenya commits to eliminating malaria by 2030

baby

A woman and her baby under a mosquito net. Kenya has committed to eliminating malaria by 2030 by harnessing both domestic and donor funding alongside 49 other African nations. PHOTO | FILE

Kenya has committed to eliminating malaria by 2030 by harnessing both domestic and donor funding alongside 49 other African nations.

The commitment was made by African Leaders Malaria Alliance (ALMA) government representatives at the 27th African Union (AU) Summit in Kigali over AIDs, TB and Malaria.

The AU AIDS Watch Africa and ALMA chairman Idriss Déby Itno, said the heads of states should intensify their efforts to sustain existing donor funding to fight the diseases, especially malaria.

“Governments need to ramp up domestic resources to ensure the success of the roadmap and implementation of innovative health solutions to eliminate malaria,” said Mr Itno, the President of Chad.

“The endorsement is a sign of commitment to end these diseases with clear targets and milestones – we need to finance and provide lifesaving anti-malaria interventions to achieve a malaria, HIV/AIDS and TB -free Africa.”

Mr Itno was speaking on Sunday during the AU Summit when the African leaders signed the “Catalytic Framework to end AIDS, TB and eliminate Malaria in Africa by 2030” deal.

World Health Organisation data shows that malaria mortality rate on the continent dropped from about 764,000 in 2000 to 395,000 in 2015.

The disease, however, still remains a top killer of pregnant women and children under five.

Pneumonia last year dislodged malaria as the top killer of Kenyans with deaths from HIV, TB and meningitis declining.

Official data shows that casualties from malaria which has for years been the top killer in the country declined by 2,267 to 20,691.

READ: Kenya gets Sh200m to abate infectious diseases' surge

Interventions

The ALMA consensus, which was founded in 2009 has been working with governments to keep malaria high on the national and international development agenda.

Kenya has been recognised to have made huge strides towards eliminating malaria.

“With rising mosquito net coverage and malaria prevalence dropping from 11 per cent in 2010 to eight per cent in 2015, Kenya is on track to eliminate malaria by 2030,” said ALMA executive secretary and a Botswana national, Joy Phumaphi.

Among the interventions the government has implemented is the use of insecticide-treated mosquito nets, residual sprays, increased supply of anti-malaria drugs as well as early diagnosis and treatment.
Last year, the government invested Sh7.8 billion in provision of 13 million nets to households across the country at a cost of Sh600 per net.

“It is evident that the intervention is working towards curbing malaria deaths,” said the Health Principle Secretary, Nicholas Muraguri in a phone interview.