South East Asia records 85 percent decline in malaria mortality: WHO

The South East Asian region has recorded a 85 percent decline in malaria mortality rate between 2000 and 2014, a World Health Organisation statement said on Monday.

The global health organisation said South East Asian region, housing approximately 1.4 billion people who are at risk of contracting malaria, needs to reinforce and scale up efforts to end the disease by 2030.

"The WHO South-East Asia Region has made compelling progress in its efforts to combat malaria. Sustained and robust financial investment and political will is crucial. This is necessary to make immediate gains, and also to eliminate any danger of resurgence," the statement said.

"History must not be repeated. National malaria programmes must be empowered to work across sectors and utilise resources effectively," it added.

The WHO said continued development of new solutions and strategies -- including next-generation drugs, diagnostics and vaccines -- will play a key role in beating the threat from drug- and insecticide- resistant malaria.

In a recent survey, one third doctors said unhygienic surroundings were the prime cause of malarial deaths in India.

--IANS

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