World Malaria Day 2019: Partnership to End Malaria calls for increased global action

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The international community Thursday observed the 2019 World Malaria Day under the theme: “Zero Malaria Starts with Me,” aimed at raising global awareness about the spread of malaria scourge and preventing the spread of one of the world`s most deadliest diseases.

Since 2007, April 25 is globally observed as World Malaria Day. The day was established by the World Health Assembly – World Health Organization`s highest decision-making body – and dedicated to highlighting the global efforts to end malaria while presenting an opportunity to engage global leaders, civil society,  the private sector as well as the general public all over the world.

This year`s World Malaria Day themed: “Zero Malaria Starts with Me,” was hosted by the French government in Paris and focused on empowering individuals across the world to make a personal commitment toward saving more lives and helping communities and economies to thrive, by ending malaria.

“…A series of events will be organized across the [Paris] city center, recognizing, the importance of Francophone contributions to the fight against malaria, and the need to step up the fight to accelerate progress against the preventable and treatable disease,” says a press statement by the RBM Partnership to End Malaria.

Winnie Mpanju-Shumbusho, board chair, RBM Partnership to End Malaria, the largest platform for coordinated action against malaria, noted that World Malaria Day offers people all over the world the opportunity to step up the fight against malaria at a time when global malaria cases were on the rise and funding has flat-lined.

“We cannot accept this as status quo, rather each one of us must commit to ensuring universal access to life-saving interventions for the hundreds of millions of people around the world still at risk of malaria. By taking global action, we will protect the significant gains made against malaria and extend them to the most vulnerable communities, primarily women and children,” Mpanju-Shumbusho said.