WHO Says Nigeria Accounted For 27% Of Malaria Deaths Worldwide In 2020
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), Nigeria and five other countries would account for over half of all malaria fatalities globally in 2020.
Touchaheart Nigeria reports that In a report released on Monday, December 6, the World Health Organization estimated that 241 million malaria infections and 627,000 malaria deaths, largely among children under the age of five, would occur worldwide in 2020.
In 2020, there will be around 14 million more cases than in 2019, with 69,000 more deaths. Nigeria was responsible for 27% of the deaths.
The report read;
“About 96% of malaria deaths globally were in 29 countries. Six countries – Nigeria (27%), the Democratic Republic of the Congo (12%), Uganda (5%), Mozambique (4%), Angola (3%) and Burkina Faso (3%) – accounted for just over half of all malaria deaths globally in 2020.
“Twenty-nine countries accounted for 96% of malaria cases globally, and six countries – Nigeria (27%), the Democratic Republic of the Congo (12%), Uganda (5%), Mozambique (4%), Angola (3.4%) and Burkina Faso (3.4%) – accounted for about 55% of all cases globally.”
The COVID-19 pandemic hampered malaria services, resulting in a significant increase in cases and deaths.
According to the World Health Organization, the situation might have been significantly worse, as severe disruption was predicted to quadruple malaria mortality in Sub-Saharan Africa by 2020.
Many nations took immediate steps to strengthen their malaria programs, according to WHO Director-General Tedros Ghebreyesus.
He added;
“Even before the COVID-19 pandemic struck, global gains against malaria had levelled off.
“Thanks to the hard work of public health agencies in malaria-affected countries, the worst projections of COVID’s impact have not come to pass.
“Now, we need to harness that same energy and commitment to reverse the setbacks caused by the pandemic and step up the pace of progress against this disease.”
