To reduce the prevalence of malaria in the country, the National Malaria Control Program (NMCP) at the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare (MOH/SW) will tomorrow Saturday, September 8, launch the fight against the disease, the program manager, Dr. Joel J. Jones said.
The operation, codenamed: “United against Malaria (UAM),” according to Dr. Jones, will be launched at the Samuel K. Doe Sport Complex where the Super Eagles of Nigeria will be in action against the Lone Star of Liberia in the African Nations Cup qualifier.
He said the UAM was founded in the lead-up to the 2010 World Cup in South Africa, and is an alliance of football teams, heroes, celebrities, health and advocacy organizations, governments and corporations, who have united together against malaria.
“As part of the Roll Back Malaria (RBM) Partnership, UAM is made up of over 200 partners from diverse sectors and continents who invest their experience, time, funds, skills and enthusiasm because they share a common goal,” Dr. Jones told reporters on Wednesday at his office in Monrovia.
He said by championing African leadership across sectors and harnessing the collective capacities of a range of corporate partners-using football (the world’s most popular sport) as the foundation, UAM aims to raise global awareness and galvanize worldwide commitment to end malaria deaths by 2015.
In his analysis, Dr. Jones explained, among other things, that malaria disproportionately affects the poor and vulnerable, primarily young children and pregnant women in Africa.
“Those are more likely to be exposed to infection due to lower immunity levels and they have the most limited access to the prevention of the disease, treatment, and control measures,” he said.
On the treatment of the disease, Dr. Jones confirmed that malaria is a treatable and preventable disease where simple tools such like treated mosquito nets, effective medicines and safe indoor spraying can save lives.
Quoting the 2011 RBM Partnership report, Dr. Jones said, in the last decade global malaria deaths have been reduced by 38 percent.
In addition, he said, 11 African countries have reduced malaria cases and deaths by more than 50 percent, due to intervention scale-up.
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