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By Derrick Osondu
The theme for this year’s World Malaria Day is “Time to Deliver Zero Malaria: Invest, Innovate, Implement,” this, according to the World Health Organization, underscores the collective energy and commitment of the global malaria community to deal a death knell to this age-long scourge.
Greenlife Pharmaceuticals Limited, on its part, continues to be at the fore front of promoting the use of Artemisinin Combination Therapy ( ACT) to fight the disease through investment in both the traditional and new media. Our focus is to inform our consuming publics on the proper and rational use of these life-saving drugs, as the consequences of not complying with dosing instructions or not even completing the dose in itsself poses a great danger to the integrity of the ACTs. This approach has helped to reduce mortality rates and improve uptake of the drugs in Nigeria. It is also important to note that, through innovation, Greenlife Pharmaceuticlas Limited helped to democratize accessibility to ACTs in Nigeria through a first-in-class distribution network.
The Global Malaria Report of 2022 showed that malaria deaths reduced steadily over the period 2000-2019, from 897,000 in 2000 to 577,000 in 2015, and to 568,000 in 2020. However, malaria deaths in 2021 were 619,000. The report also highlighted the effects of COVID-19 on the global effort, as between 2019 and 2021 there were 63,000 deaths that were due to disruptions to essential malaria services during the pandemic.
This, of course, shows that, with COVID-19 now in the world’s rear view mirror, we must once again focus on the fight against malaria. There is no time to rest on our laurels. Constant vigilance, and doggedness that borders on the extreme is what is needed to tame this raging inferno.
We must not fail to applaud the efforts of the Federal Government of Nigeria, who pledged to double its effort to help tame the scourge, promising to secure a $300 million loan facility from different partner agencies to finance the country’s National Malaria Strategy. A move backed by government’s commitment to elevate malaria on the national priority list, while simultaneously distributing 15 million mosquito nets and supporting the local manufacture of essential malaria commodities. This is an outward sign of an inward commitment on the part of government to align its efforts with those of other stakeholders as we close in on various milestones set by the World Health Organization’s global technical strategy for malaria 2016-2030.
On our part as a company deeply committed to the fight, we will continue to disseminate information on the importance of the ACT in the fight against malaria.
Once again, we join hands with all global partners as we mark the World Malaria Day 2023.
•Osondu is of Greenlife Pharmaceuticals Limited
