Malaria accounts for 655,000 deaths in 2010

            

GENEVA Six countries including Nigeria account for 60 percent of deaths from Malaria. The others are Democratic Republic of Congo, Burkino Faso, Mozambique, Ivory Coast and Mali.

Malaria caused the death of an estimated 655,000 people last year, with 86 percent of victims children aged under five, World Health Organisation figures showed on Tuesday.

The figure marked a five percent drop in deaths from 2009.

Africa accounted for 91 percent of deaths and 81 percent of the 216 million cases worldwide in 2010.

In its annual World Malaria Report for 2011, the WHO hailed as a "major achievement" a 26 percent fall in mortality rates since 2000 despite being well short of its 50 percent target.

The UN health agency aims to eradicate malaria deaths altogether by the end of 2015 and reduce the number of cases by 75 percent on 2000 levels.

International funding for the fight against malaria peaked at $2 billion (1.5 billion euros) this year but the WHO estimates $5 billion will be needed each year until 2015 if its targets are to be reached.

The cash has funded an big increase in the number of households with insecticide-treated mosquito nets, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa where 50 percent now have the nets compared with just three percent in 2000.

To finance the fight, the WHO suggested a tax on financial transactions or the rolling out of a tax on airline journeys which it said, if extended to other countries, could generate significant extra funds.

 "Other country-specific schemes, such as tourist taxes, may offer opportunities to raise funds for control programmes in malaria endemic countries," the report said.

WHO director general Margaret Chan welcomed the "significant and durable" progress in the fight against malaria but said parasite resistance to drugs was causing concern in parts of South-east Asia.

"Parasite resistance to anti-malarial medicines remains a real and ever-present danger to our continued success," said Chan.

"There is an urgent need to develop an Asia-wide framework to ensure sustained and coordinated action against this public health threat."

According to the WHO, malaria is endemic in 106 countries and is currently transmitted in 99 of them.

Of the 99, 43 recorded a fall in reported cases of more than 50 percent between 2000 and 2010.

Europe had an estimated 176 cases of malaria in 2010 with no reported deaths.

         

Mayor of London urges Nigerians in Diaspora on role in Nation's development

MAYOR of London, Boris Johnson has said that Nigerians living in the United Kingdom (UK) have all it takes to assist Nigeria in the country’s development.

Johnson, who was represented by Colin Bloom, Member of Parliament, spoke at the recently concluded Nigerian carnival organised by the Central Association of Nigerians in the United Kingdom and Northern Ireland (CANUK), urging them to brace up to change the country. Meanwhile, President Goodluck Jonathan’s wife, Patience, at the event said Nigeria needs peace for sustainable development, just as she urged Nigerians in the Diaspora to join hands with the government. Represented by the Minister of Women Affairs and Social Development, Hajia Zainab Maina, Patience said, “It is through peace and harmony that the nation can grow. We should articulate our grievances with a view to resolving them, rather than take to violence, maiming and killings.” The Mayor said Nigerians are very energetic, hardworking and progressive people worldwide, stressing, “Nigeria is a beautiful country for beautiful people. Your carnival is very important and it serves as a tool to unite Nigerian people living in the UK.“ She called on the over 2,000 Nigerians who came from different parts of the UK to use their diverse cultures to project the image of the nation. Speaking in the same vein, Nigeria’s High Commissioner to the UK, Dr. Dalhatu Sarki Tafida said the Mission had been repositioned to better serve the interest and welfare of the community, while promoting a sense of belonging, unity and amity among Nigerians in the UK. He appealed to all Nigerians in the UK to “join us in the pursuit of the transformation agenda of the Federal Government by making their modest contributions in every way possible.” Dalhatu stated that this year’s event unlike last year’s was slightly different, noting that it was the first time the organisers will be collaborating with CANUK to hold the occasion.