May 1, 2008 — With more than one million cases and 1,400 deaths in 2007, the malaria pandemic remains the leading cause of morbidity and mortality in Niger, and is clearly spreading despite significant progress made in diagnosing and treating this disease.
This year’s slogan for World Malaria Day “United Against Malaria” is still, therefore, sadly relevant.
Similarly, Niger appropriated the “Malaria Without Borders” theme when it decided to hold the launching ceremony for the April 25 commemorative activities in Tamou, a small town meeting place on the border with Burkina Faso, and a region where malaria is endemic.
The UNICEF Resident Representative mentioned in his speech the fact that the pandemic is exacting its heaviest toll on children, while the WHO representative concluded his presentation by reiterating the commitment of multilateral partners to continuing the efforts undertaken in Niger with the Government’s support.
The National Malaria Control Program [Programme national de lutte contre le paludisme PNLP] seized the opportunity of this large gathering of rural populations to conduct campaigns to treat mosquito nets with insecticide and distribute them free of cost to pregnant women.
National Priority
According to the Ministry of Health representative, malaria accounts for 25 percent of regular consultations with Niger’s health personnel—a rate that could jump in certain places to 80 percent during the rainy season (June, July, and August), despite appeals to the highest level of the political administration, civil society, and donors.
Thus, the Head of State, President Tandja Mamadou, as well as his spouse—who is none other than
The people of Tamou received insecticide-treated mosquito nets.
the patron of the anti-malaria program—has become personally involved in implementing the “Roll Back Malaria” (RBM) initiative by making the pandemic one of the nation’s priorities.
Niger , like several African countries, has adopted a new strategy to prevent malaria and care for the sick, which combines the use of:
New molecules to treat malaria in light of resistance to chloroquine in the country;
Insecticide-treated mosquito nets; and
Insecticide treatment and/or distribution of pesticides to eradicate vectors.
The national strategy has strengthened the capacities of the National Malaria Control Program, with the acquisition of considerable logistical and human resources.
Program actions have also been scaled up through the widespread distribution of insecticide-treated mosquito nets during the vaccination campaigns against poliomyelitis and measles.
Sizeable Financial Commitment
In terms of financing malaria eradication in conjunction with long-standing partners (World Bank, International Monetary Fund, and Japan), the involvement of new donors such as Chinese Cooperation and the African Development Bank bears noting.
More specifically, since 2006 the World Bank has financed the Health Sector Support Program at an overall cost of $35 million, with a sum of $10 million dedicated solely to eradicating malaria.
Djibrilla Karamoko, the World Bank Task Team Leader of the project, stated that “this support will make it possible for the entire country to have medication, insecticide-treated mosquito nets, and products to eradicate the vectors.”
“A partner coordination system has been implemented and will facilitate discussions of the objectives pertaining to coverage and resource mobilization to provide greater access by the population to health care. In this context, it also bears noting that with the support of the Bank, free health care and medication are provided to the population, particularly children under five and pregnant women.”
Although these different initiatives have resulted in undeniable progress, all the speakers who stepped up to the podium on launch day in Tamou agreed that much remains to be done in order to attain the fixed objectives.
One concern is the relatively high cost of new medication using a rtemisinin- based combination therapies, which are much more effective . To this end, Public Health Ministry authorities have therefore called for greater involvement by the bilateral and multilateral partners.
RSS