Malaria resurgence may kill 337,000 people – UN world leaders

Heads of State and Government gathered at the United Nations General Assembly, UNGA, have issued a stern warning about the urgent need to increase funding for malaria prevention to ward off a potential increase in the number of new malaria cases and deaths.

Failure to do so, they caution, could lead to a resurgence of the disease within the next five years resulting in an additional 137.2 million malaria cases and up to 337,000 deaths between 2027 and 2029.

Giving the warning ahead of the Global Fund Replenishment in 2025,  following concerns from new modelling conducted by the Malaria Atlas Project, the world leaders say that even if current funding levels are maintained, a perfect storm of threats could still result in 112 million more cases and 280,000 deaths due to malaria.

The urgent need for increased funding highlights malaria’s ongoing global health crisis and the critical importance of sustained efforts to combat the deadly disease.

The World Health Organization reports that there are already nearly 250 million malaria cases and over 600,000 deaths annually, primarily affecting young children and impoverished countries.

The urgent call for increased malaria funding underscores the ongoing global health crisis posed by this deadly disease and the critical importance of sustained efforts to combat it.

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The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria, one of the primary sources of funding for the control and elimination of AIDS, TB, and malaria, is funded largely by governments, and pools the world’s resources to fight the three diseases, raising and investing money in three-year cycles known as Replenishments.

According to the RBM Partnership to End Malaria, “From the new models, if there is a flatlining of malaria resources (with the Global Fund Replenishment again achieving approximately $15.6 billion in total and allocations across the three diseases remaining on par with the current cycle), the world could see an additional 112 million malaria cases and up to 280,700 additional deaths across the three years, with upsurges and outbreaks happening right across the continent of Africa.”

The RBM Partnership said the situation will be even worse if the total Global Fund Replenishment sees a cut to resources and takes funding away from malaria.

“In the event of a lower replenishment of $11 billion, and a reduction in the malaria allocation, the modelling forecasts we can expect an estimated 137.2 million additional malaria cases and up to 337,000 additional malaria deaths.

“The world is already facing insufficient funds based on the current cycle. There is an estimated gap of more than $1.5 billion to sustain services at 2023 levels; but with the new challenges we are facing, even this will not be enough to get the fight against malaria back on track.

The new projections were raised by President Umaro Sissocco Embaló at a fireside chat titled “Confronting the Malaria Perfect Storm”, convened by the African Leaders Malaria Alliance, where they expressed concerns that malaria will quickly resurge if appropriate action is not taken in this Replenishment cycle.

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The CEO of the RBM Partnership to End Malaria, Dr Michael Charles, said, “The evidence is clear that there is a significant risk of malaria epidemics if funding isn’t increased and high-burden areas are unable to deliver critical malaria prevention services.

“Unlike HIV and TB, malaria is concentrated in lower-income countries, particularly across Africa, so often these countries have the least ability to afford the fight. Everyone, no matter where they live, has a right to health. Malaria is straining health systems and making it difficult for people in low-income countries to fully enjoy their right to health.”

Charles admitted that allocating the funds from the Global Fund Replenishment is complex, but emphasised that while all three diseases urgently need attention, malaria must receive an increase in its funding from the Global Fund if we are to avoid a wide-scale resurgence.

“If this doesn’t happen, we can expect cases to spike and increased mortality. We already know this will impact women and young children hardest, as they are disproportionately affected by the disease. It will also push more people into poverty and overwhelm already fragile health systems, with economic consequences that will ripple across the world.

“We simply cannot afford to let this happen. The world has a duty to ensure our most vulnerable populations are not further disadvantaged and to do this we need to ensure the right funding is in place, starting with the global fund replenishment,” he remarked.

The ongoing fight against malaria faces significant challenges that threaten to undermine current efforts. Worse still, insecticide and anti-malarial drug resistance are on the rise, rendering existing interventions less effective.

While highly effective tools like dual-insecticide mosquito nets are available to address resistance, their implementation comes at a higher cost. The combination of climate change and humanitarian crises has further exacerbated the situation, leaving vulnerable populations at increased risk of malaria infection.

These converging challenges highlight the urgent need for increased funding and innovative strategies to combat malaria effectively.

The RBM Partnership to End Malaria is the largest global platform for coordinated action against malaria. It was established as Roll Back Malaria (RBM) Partnership in 1998 and mobilises for action and resources and forges consensus among partners.

Malaria resurgence may kill 337,000 people – UN world leaders

NAFDAC destroys N43bn substandard products in Oyo

The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), has conducted a significant operation in Ibadan, Oyo State capital, destroying substandard products, including counterfeit drugs and medical devices, valued at N43 billion.

The destruction was carried out on Thursday at the Moniya dump site in the Akinyele Local Government area of the state, with representatives from security agencies and the Oyo State Government in attendance.

During the event, NAFDAC’s Director-General, Professor Christiana Mojisola Adeyeye, represented by the Director of Investigation and Enforcement, Pharm. Shabba Mohammed, shared that the products were voluntarily surrendered to the agency by compliant companies, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), and trade unions.

Professor Adeyeye detailed the extensive efforts that led to the confiscation of numerous unregistered and registered pharmaceutical products, citing various raids across different locations.

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The seized items included aphrodisiacs, sex enhancement drugs, over-the-counter medications, and prescription-only drugs.

“Over thirty different products were seized in total,” she noted, highlighting that the confiscated items included banned substances such as codeine and narcotics, with a total value exceeding N48 million.

“The agency has been actively gathering intelligence on illegal warehousing, sale, and distribution of narcotics by pharmaceutical vendors in Lagos and other states.”

“Recent raids conducted by the Investigation and Enforcement Directorate resulted in the confiscation of products worth over N700 million.”

“In addition to counterfeit pharmaceuticals, the operation also targeted contraband items such as unregistered soaps, tomato paste, and counterfeit beverages.”

Professor Adeyeye, however, emphasised the importance of public involvement in combating counterfeit drugs and unwholesome food products. She urged citizens to report unlawful practices to the nearest NAFDAC office for immediate investigation.

Nigerian nurses, midwives excited as NMCN finally reactivates verification portal

The Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria (NMCN) has reopened its verification portal for nurses and midwives, allowing them to once again submit their verification requests through the council’s website.

Recent checks on the NMCN website on Saturday revealed that the verification portal is now functional.

The portal now displays a message stating, “Good news, verification requests are back online,” and further notes that the expiration dates for renewal applications will now be calculated based on the application date.

A confirmation of the portal’s reopening was received on Friday. Anthony Ijeoma, a nurse affiliated with Nursingworld Nigeria, also affirmed the reactivation. He expressed appreciation for the efforts made by the National Association of Nigeria Nurses and Midwives (NANNM) in making this possible, and commended the NMCN for reopening the verification portal to accommodate both domestic and international nurses.

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Previously, the sudden deactivation of the portal in February had caused significant distress for numerous Nigerian nurses and midwives working abroad. Without the required verification from NMCN, many nurses found themselves in violation of visa regulations and employment laws, leading to legal complications. This situation forced some nurses, including those in the UK and the US, to return to Nigeria.

Back in February, the NMCN released new guidelines for certificate verification requests. According to these guidelines, nurses and midwives were required to have at least two years of post-qualification experience, starting from the issuance date of their permanent practicing license. Additionally, a letter of good standing was to be requested from the applicant’s employer and their last training institution, which had to be addressed directly to the Registrar/CEO of NMCN.

These new regulations sparked widespread petitions from state councils and chapters of NANNM in various states including Lagos, Ogun, Kwara, Ebonyi, and Kaduna, among others. Protests were organized, and some even took legal action against the NMCN. However, the court case was later withdrawn.

On February 27, the Nigerian House of Representatives called on the NMCN to suspend its new guidelines for issuing verification certificates to nurses and midwives, pointing out concerns over how the council’s actions might hinder professionals seeking career opportunities abroad.

The reactivation of the portal follows an appeal made by NANNM to the Federal Government, urging it to address pressing concerns of the nursing community. NANNM’s National President, Michael Nnachi, listed key demands, which included reopening the verification portal, ensuring the payment of salaries to NMCN staff, constituting the council’s board, and creating a special salary structure for nurses or reviewing their professional allowances.

This development marks a significant relief for Nigerian nurses and midwives, especially those aspiring to work internationally.

Nigerian nurses, midwives excited as NMCN finally reactivates verification portal

(PUNCH)