The Group of 7 (G7), which consists of representatives from the leading world powers, met at their annual summit meeting from 7-8 June to discuss a variety of key global challenges. Amongst these was a recognition of the global toll of the 17 neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) as classified by the World Health Organization (WHO), as well as the threat posed by the development of antimicrobial resistance.
In the communique that came out of the summit meeting, leaders reaffirmed their commitment to defeating NTDs – which disproportionately affect poor and marginalised communities, mostly in sub-Saharan Africa – by supporting a range of interventions and scaling up funding for disease control. They voiced their support for NTD-related research, focusing especially on prevention, control and treatment and the use of affordable drugs, vaccines and technologies. They also advocated for continuing support for community based response as a means of preventing, controlling and eliminating these diseases.
G7 leaders also declared support for the WHO Global Action Plan on Antimicrobial Resistance, and vowed to work to develop and implement national action plans and, where possible, support other countries to do the same. These plans will foster the prudent use of antibiotics and will stimulate research that will contribute to the containment of antibiotic resistance.
Malaria Consortium welcomes these commitments as well as the G7’s ongoing support to the replenishment of the Global Fund to fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria in 2016.
IN what has been largely described as an ambitious initiative, Nigeria is embarking on a malaria elimination drive through a comprehensive Long Lasting Insecticide Nets, LLINs, replacement programme.
Since the commencement of the universal mass campaign for ownership and use of the LLINs, in Nigeria in May 2009 across the 36 States of the Federation, the essence of replacement drive has been pushed forward as a means of filling in the gaps following distribution of two nets per household arrangement.
With an estimated 25 percent of the global malaria burden, Nigeria has its work cut out to stem the tide of the disorder. The National Malaria Elimination Programme, NMEP, had distributed a total of 31 million nets in 13 of 17 states earmarked for a phase of the project.
A report of the campaign from the Federal Ministry of Health shows that to date, a total of 57,773,191 of the planned 64,064,949 LLINs were distributed in the 36 states of the Federation including the Federal Capital Territory, representing 90.2 percent of the total National target.
The World Health Organisation, WHO, recommends that in achieving universal coverage with LLINs in malaria control. The LLINs have played an important role in the remarkable success in reducing malaria burden over the past decade and are regarded as a core prevention tool for people at risk of malaria.
WHO recommends Universal coverage remains the goal for all people at risk of malaria and to maintain universal coverage, it notes that countries should apply a combination of mass free distributions and continuous distributions through multiple channels, in particular antenatal and immunisation services.
Further, WHO says mass campaigns are a cost-effective way to rapidly achieve high and equitable coverage but coverage gaps start to appear almost immediately post-campaign through net deterioration, loss of nets,and population growth, requiring complementary continuous distribution channels.
For mass campaigns, the WHO adds that one LLIN should be distributed for every two persons at risk of malaria and mass campaigns should be repeated normally at an interval of no more than three years unless there is reliable observational evidence that a longer interval could be appropriate
Among others, the global body also recommends that each national malaria control programme should develop its own LLIN distribution strategy.
Giving an overview of LLIN strategy in the country, National Coordinator, NMEP, Dr. Nnenna Ezeigwe, said the concept of nets distribution was designed to saturate every state with the nets in order to achieve 100 percent ownership and at least 80 percent utilisation.
“The strategy targets all population at risk (97 percent of the total population). Common set of methodologies and tools were developed for the distribution of over 64 million LLINs through Universal Coverage campaigns planned that commenced in 2009.
“We started net distribution afresh with a coordinated strategy to deliver two nets to every household across the country. Determination of LLINs requirements for each state based on projected 2006 population census data for 2009 and 2010.
Giving an update of the household mobilization and LLINs distribution, Ezeigwe, in a presentation of the “Status of Nigeria Universal Coverage LLIN Replacement Campaign 2013-2015,” observed that the LLINs replacement campaigns objective was to deliver over 47 million LLINs to populations in 17 States where existing nets had reached their normal end of life, having being in use for three years or more.
Ezeigwe said the LLIN replacement campaigns in the phase 1 States of Anambra, Bauchi. Gombe, Nasarawa, Jigawa and Rivers were implemented between September and November 2014. States were mostly supported with funding from the World Bank.
“The LLIN replacement campaigns in the phase 2 States of Akwa Ibom, Niger, Ekiti, Katsina, Kebbi and Abia were implemented between November 2014 and January 2015, while the Abia campaign was finally completed by the end of February.
“The cumulative number of LLINs distributed till date (13 States in Phases 1 and 2) stands at 31,878,911 LLINs. This represents 92 percent of the target set for distribution in the 13 states where campaigns have been concluded and distribution data available.”
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