25 April: World Malaria Day, A Key Programme for Monaco's Official Development Assistance

©JM Bernard -REALIS-DCI

In particular, Monaco's Official Development Assistance supports the World Health Organization's (WHO's) malaria eradication programme in eight countries in southern and eastern Africa (Botswana, Comoros, Madagascar, South Africa, Namibia, Swaziland, Zanzibar and Zimbabwe).

In partnership with the Medicines for Malaria Venture (MMV) Foundation, Monaco's Official Development Assistance is also supporting a study to develop a new anti-malaria medicine, as well as a paediatric formula, bearing in mind that, at present, one child dies of malaria every minute.*

Finally, the Department of International Cooperation is funding a study by La Sapienza University in Rome to improve epidemiological monitoring of severe malaria in Burkina Faso.

It is also supporting the running of the National Centre for Malaria Control in Madagascar, which was built with the help of a contribution from the Principality of Monaco.

As a reminder, strengthening measures to prevent and combat malaria has made it possible to reduce the mortality rate by more than 60% worldwide since the year 2000.  However, approximately 3.2 billion people in the world remain at risk from malaria, i.e. almost half the world's population.

* Some Facts about Malaria (source:  WHO) 

-          Malaria is a potentially life-threatening disease caused by parasites that are transmitted to people through the bites of infected female mosquitoes.

-          In 2015, approximately 214 million cases were recorded, and 438,000 deaths, of which 305,000 were children under 5

-          Sub-Saharan Africa bears a disproportionately high share of the global malaria burden.  In 2015, the region recorded 88% of malaria cases and 90% of deaths from malaria.

-          Malaria is holding back economic development in Africa (estimated at a loss of 0.5% to 1% of African GDP).

To find out more, see:  http://www.who.int/campaigns/malaria-day/2016/en