A new type of mosquito net distributed across sub-Saharan Africa has prevented an estimated 13 million cases of malaria and nearly 25,000 deaths in three years.
04/18/2024, 5:09 p.m.04/18/2024, 5:36 p.m.
More from “International”
According to the latest figures from the World Health Organization (WHO), 249 million cases of malaria and 608,000 deaths were recorded in 2022the majority of cases having been recorded in Africa.
Nearly half a million children in this part of the African continent die each year from the disease caused by a parasite transmitted by mosquitoes.
One of the major challenges as efforts mount around the world to try to reduce these still high numbers is the increasing resistance to insecticides observed in mosquitoes carriers of the disease.
In order to solve this problem, the New Nets project delivered 56 million mosquito nets soaked with a double insecticide to 17 countries particularly affected by malaria, between 2019 and 2022.
The initiative was funded by Unitaid and the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria – and led by the Innovative Vector Control Consortium.
The new nets – which were coated with a new generation pyrrole insecticide in combination with the standard pyrethroid insecticide – were found to be much more effective in fighting malaria.
Evaluation of two clinical trials and five pilot studies showed the new nets improved malaria control by 20 to 50 percent in countries reporting insecticide resistance in sub-Saharan Africa, compared to standard nets, the groups said in a press release.
These mosquito nets allow significant savings
Project funders estimated that the additional cost per case of malaria averted by the new nets compared to standard nets was between $0.66 and $3.56.
“The success of the New Nets project is proof that by fostering collaboration between global health partners, harnessing innovation and using market-shaping approaches, we can combat insecticide resistance, make our highly cost-effective interventions and accelerate progress against malaria”
the head of the Global Fund, Peter Sands,
At the same time, the reduction in malaria cases and deaths attributed to the new bed nets “equals a potential savings of $28.9 million for health systems,” the statement said. (hun/ats)
China remains reluctant to participate in the conference on Ukraine in Bürgenstock, Switzerland. Even the German Chancellor could not change anything about this situation. But… after his visit to Beijing, he sowed confusion with a tweet.
After Federal Councilor Ignazio Cassis’s attempt in February, it was up to German Chancellor Olaf Scholz to go to Beijing to convince China to participate in the peace summit, scheduled for June, in central Switzerland. But the two men returned empty-handed.
