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Source: EFESalud

“We can see the progress, no doubt about it. But there are more complicated places, with high prevalence and where progress is slower. There are also circumstances where we see setbacks and a notable case is Venezuela”, said the director of the Malaria Program of the World Health Organization (WHO), Pedro Alonso, on the sidelines of the presentation of the annual report on this disease.

The specialist stated that in that country we see “a massive growth of malaria”, whereas in other countries of the region – Peru and Nicaragua in particular – malaria cases have also increased, although more moderately.

“This is a reminder that malaria is a difficult disease. History has shown us that if we take the foot off the accelerator we might go backwards”, said Alonso in the presentation to the media of the annual report on the evolution of malaria in the world.

Venezuela

According to statistics included in the study, the estimated number of malaria cases in Venezuela in 2015 was 230.000 and 220 deaths, against 78.000 cases and 72 deaths in 2010.

“In the last malaria eradication campaign in the sixties, Venezuela was the country that did its best in the world, and 40 years later it is the one that is doing the worst”, said the malaria responsible in WHO.

He admitted that the evolution of malaria “is not linear and depends on multiple factors that make it possible to progress or regress”.

Among the factors that had influence in the regress experienced by Venezuela, he said that “there are clear issues” in the access to diagnosis test, to treatments as well as in the distribution of mosquito nets.

Peru

Peru is another country where there has been a significant increase of cases reaching 150.00 cases last year against 63.000 in 2010, which WHO experts think could be due to climate changes caused by El Nino, among other reasons.

Researcher and new director of the WHO Global Program on Malaria, Pedro Alonso. EFE/Paco Campos.

This implies a return to the situation fifteen years ago, when infected people amounted to 140.000 according to the report.

Nicaragua is another country that WHO follows carefully regarding malaria, with 4.600 cases in 2015 against 1.400 five years before.

Brazil, on the other hand, shows a positive evolution, with 180.000 cases and 50 deaths last year, against 440.00 cases and 98 deaths in 2010.

Positive message of Latin America

“The message is not that Latin America is doing bad, but good. Argentina will soon be certified as malaria free. Paraguay certainly will be certified in 2018 and we are beginning the certification process with Costa Rica. A significant number of countries that will eliminate malaria are in this region” Alonso clarified.

Among the 21 countries that have targeted the goal and have possibilities to be certified as malaria free countries by 2020, the expert also mentioned El Salvador and Mexico.

Regardless the advancements in the global fight against malaria, this disease is still causing 429.000 deaths every year, out of which 70% are children. Among the children below 5 years, malaria is one of the major causes of mortality, with a death every two minutes.