WHO to Implement New Plan to Fight Malaria in Africa

The World Health Organization’s (WHO) members agreed implementation of a new plan to fight malaria that include gaps in access to available methods, the limited number of interventions available and increasing resistance to medicines and insecticides.

WASHINGTON (Sputnik)- The World Health Organization’s (WHO) members have agreed on implementation of a new plan to fight malaria in Africa that focuses on providing necessary amount of medicines and educating communities on preventive measures, the United Nations said in a press release on Monday.

"Some of the main challenges to tackle malaria include gaps in access to available methods, the limited number of interventions available and increasing resistance to medicines and insecticides," the release stated.

Despite of WHO’s efforts, weak health systems in the affected countries cannot give enough support to the operations on controlling and eliminating the disease, the release explained.

The new strategy suggests specific priorities to stop the mosquito-borne disease in the region and has been adopted by all 47 African member states.

According to the UN, Africa has the largest number of malaria cases in the world with approximately 190 million infected individuals and more than 400,000 deaths in 2015.