A female Aedes aegypti mosquito acquires a blood meal on the arm of a researcher   | Photo Credit: AP

The World Health Organization (WHO) today called on member countries to expand the reach of their national malaria programmes among disadvantaged or neglected communities, including tribal, migrant or mobile populations, to achieve the disease elimination target by 2030.

On the eve of World Malaria Day, the WHO’s South East Asia Regional Director Poonam Khetrapal Singh urged member countries to ensure that national malaria programmes are provided sustainable funding along with strengthening surveillance.

“Unless domestic financing is increased region-wide, the prospect of malaria’s deadly resurgence is a distinct (and alarming) possibility,” Singh said in a statement. Singh said high-level commitment was crucial for eliminiation of malaria, and member countries should be focused on implementing a series of evidence-based interventions.

“First among them is expanding national malaria programmes’ reach to disadvantaged or neglected communities, including tribal, migrant or mobile populations. That means providing them access to long-lasting insecticidal nets (and ensuring they know how and why to use them) or carrying out indoor residual spraying where appropriate. It also means providing pregnant women and children under-5 within these groups special attention, including increased access to antenatal services,” Singh said.

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