25 April 2016 — Regional Office - The WHO Region for the Western Pacific joins Member States and development partners in commemorating World Malaria Day on 25 April. The theme this year is: End malaria for good. This broad theme captures our common vision for a malaria-free world.
The success achieved by Member States in reaching the target for malaria under the Millennium Development Goals, the endorsement of the Global Technical Strategy for Malaria 2016 – 2030 by the World Health Assembly last year, the political leadership demonstrated by leaders of the Asia Pacific region in calling for malaria elimination by 2030 and the unprecedented commitment of donors bring malaria elimination within reach of Member States.
However, to achieve malaria elimination, much still needs to be done. Up to 40% of the more than 1.8 billion people in the Western Pacific Region are still at risk of contracting malaria. Throughout the Region malaria disproportionately affects marginalized groups and communities, and addressing this will be essential to achieving elimination.
Strengthening malaria surveillance within integrated disease surveillance systems in countries will be key to effective targeting of interventions. Such an approach will help minimize inequities in access to malaria services and will facilitate achievement of effective malaria control and elimination in the context of Universal Health Coverage.
The Region contains several countries now moving towards elimination, underscoring the solid work done by national governments and partners. As countries approach elimination, we must ensure that re-introduction of malaria is prevented through strengthened surveillance and case response.
In the Greater Mekong Subregion, we have been working in partnership with the WHO South-East Asia Region, Member States and other stakeholders to eliminate the threat of multidrug resistant malaria. The technical road map for elimination is the Greater Mekong Subregion Malaria Elimination Strategy 2015 – 2030, adopted by GMS Member States last year. All GMS countries in the Western Pacific Region have updated their national strategic plans since then and are working jointly to eliminate multi drug-resistant malaria.
Accelerating control in high-burden countries of the Region is also important to achieve the milestones of the Global Technical Strategy for Malaria 2016-2030. Strengthening human resource capacities, using integrated approaches for improved service delivery and addressing inequities will be important. And sustaining financing to facilitate all of this is crucial.
“End malaria for good is a timely call for collective action by WHO, governments, donors and other stakeholders on this World Malaria Day,” said Dr Shin Young-soo, WHO Regional Director for the Western Pacific. “Eliminating malaria in the Asia Pacific region by 2030 will be challenging, but it is achievable. We have the will; we have the tools; and together we need to make it happen.”