The World Health Organisation has called on Nigeria and other countries affected by malaria in Africa to work with development partners to boost investments in malaria prevention and control.
WHO Regional Director for Africa, Dr Matshidiso Moeti made the call in her speech to commemorate this year’s World Malaria Day.
Moeti whose speech was read by the WHO, Country Representative in Nigeria, Dr. Wondi Alemu during a news briefing in Abuja, said this would propel countries along the road to elimination and contribute to the achievement of other Sustainable Development Goals.
She said malaria remains a major public health and development challenge and that the World Malaria Report 2017 documents an increase in global malaria cases.
The WHO regional director said many countries were not on track to achieve targets of the Global Technical Strategy for Malaria 2016-2030, adding that international and domestic funding for malaria prevention and control has stagnated.
While saying that countries in the African region also recorded the biggest rise of malaria testing in the public sector from 36 percent of suspected cases in 2010 to percent in 2016, Dr Moeti said the use of insecticide-treated nets and indoor spraying with insecticides were key strategies in combating malaria.