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ENGLISH SECTION

percent of people at risk of malaria
in sub-Saharan Africa slept under
an ITN compared to 30 percent in
2010. However, the rate of increase in
ITN coverage has slowed since 2014.
Less than half of households in sub-
Saharan Africa have enough nets for
all occupants.

In Assam, India, a group of insecticide spray In the last 10 years, UNICEF
operators use bicycles to reach remote has procured and distribute nearly
dwellings - this may be one of the effective
way of preventing malaria. 268 million ITN in more than 30
countries worldwide.
TEN KEY FACTS ON MALARIA of malaria deaths occur in Sub- Countries that have achieved
Saharan Africa, with 407,000 deaths at least three consecutive years
Among all communicable in 2016. with no local cases of malaria are
diseases, malaria is the third largest eligible to apply for certifi cation
killer of children between the ages of Malaria preys upon the of malaria elimination. Since 2010,
one month and fi ve years, following vulnerable: children under fi ve seven countries have been certifi ed
pneumonia and diarrhea. years of age, the poorest and most malaria-free. They are Morocco
marginalized, pregnant women and (2010), Turkmenistan (2010), Armenia
Nearly 300,000 children under their unborn children. Malaria in (2011), Maldives (2015), Sri Lanka
the age of fi ve die of malaria in 2016, pregnancy contributes signifi cantly (2016), Kyrgyzstan (2016) and United
equivalent to nearly 800 young lives to deaths of mothers and young Arab Emirates (2007).
lost each day. children, with an estimated tally of
at least 10,000 women and 200,000 References:
Between 2000 and 2015, the infants under one year old. WHO, Malaria Factsheet, updated April 2018
mortality rate for malaria fell by 60 Achieving the Malaria MDG Target
percent and the number of malaria Four out of fi ve malaria World Malaria Report 2017
cases dropped by 37 percent deaths occur in one of 15
globally. During those 15 years, countries: Nigeria, the DRC, India,
6.2 million deaths were averted, Mozambique, Ghana, Angola,
including the deaths of 5.9 million Uganda, Mali, Burkina Faso, Kenya,
children under fi ve years. Tanzania, Cameroon, Niger, Guinea
and Chad. More than one in three
In 2016, 91 countries reported malaria deaths occur in two
a combined total of 216 million countries: Nigeria and the DRC.
malaria cases - fi ve million more UNICEF has a country offi ce in all of
than in 2015. Rwanda and Nigeria these countries.
together saw an increase of over
1.5 million cases, while Democratic Sleeping under an
Republic of the Congo (DRC) insecticide-treated bed net (ITN)
recorded an additional 500,000 is the most common and most
cases in 2015-2016. effective way to prevent malaria
infection. In 2016, an estimated 54 #Malaria is preventable and treatable
An estimated 90 percent yet the disease continues to claim
nearly half a million lives a year.

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