Over 40 million at risk of malaria

More than 40 million people in Ethiopia are at risk of malaria, the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) warned on Thursday. The disease affects at least four million people each year and it is the biggest single killer in the country, said UNICEF spokeswoman in Addis Ababa, Angela Walker, at the launch of 2002 Africa Malaria Control Day. “Malaria affects 4-5 million people annually in Ethiopia and is prevalent in 75 percent of the country, putting over 40 million people at risk,” she said. “Malaria accounts for seven percent of outpatient visits and represents the largest single cause of morbidity." She said it was estimated that only 20 percent of children under five years of age who contracted malaria were treated at existing health facilities. “In many areas of Ethiopia, large epidemics have been experienced in recent years due to favourable climate conditions,” she added. The World Health Organisation, UNICEF, the UN Development Programme (UNDP) and the World Bank launched a campaign in 1998 to fight malaria, called Roll Back Malaria. The campaign aims to cut halve the death rate worldwide by 2010. Among the targets are rapid diagnosis of the disease and more focused research. Ethiopia signed up to the campaign in 2001 and launched its own five-year strategic plan for malaria control. It aims to cut the death rate by 25 percent by the year 2005. Thousands of insecticide-treated mosquito nets (ITNs) have been distributed to try and combat the disease. UNICEF is also urging the private sector to get involved. But, it said, that taxes and tariffs imposed on the nets had to be reduced or stopped. UNICEF is also working alongside the government to focus on areas with a high incidence of malaria and to target the most vulnerable people such as pregnant women and children under five, particularly in rural areas. “It is anticipated that once demand has been created and taxes and tariffs on nets and insecticide have been waived or reduced, the private sector will become more involved and people will be able to access affordable nets from the commercial sector," UNICEF said. “The participation of the private sector is essential if the 40 million people at risk of malaria in Ethiopia are to have access to ITNs.”