Nigeria Leads In Malaria Fatalities Among Children Worldwide –WHO

LAGOS – According to a report by the World Health Organisation (WHO), Nigeria has the highest rate of malaria infections and fatalities among children under five years of age in the world, accounting for about 80 percent of deaths in the region.

In addition, Nigeria has the highest global rate of malaria infections and fatalities, the WHO said.

Nigeria was responsible for 31.9 percent of all malaria deaths worldwide in 2020, according to the 2021 World Malaria Report, and it also had the highest rate of infections during the same time, at 27 percent.

Twenty-nine nations accounted for 96% of malaria cases worldwide, while six nations — Nigeria (27%), the Democratic Republic of the Congo (12%), Uganda (5%), Mozambique (4%), Angola (3.4%), and Burkina Faso (3.4%) — accounted for around 55% of all cases.

“Over half of all malaria deaths globally occurred in four African nations: Nigeria (31.9%), the Democratic Republic of the Congo (13.2%), the United Republic of Tanzania (4.1%), and Mozambique (3.8 percent),” the report said.

The WHO African Region, which is predicted to have 228 million patients in 2020, would be responsible for 96% of deaths, according to the report which was made available to Daily Independent.

A significant portion of all malaria deaths in the area—about 80%—occurred in children under the age of five. By 2030, there should be a minimum 90% reduction in both malaria case incidence and death rate.

Commenting on the report, Dr. Tedros Ghebreyesus, Director General of the WHO, said, “This year’s World Malaria Report surveys the extent of damage wrought by the COVID-19 pandemic to the global malaria response, and outlines what is needed to get back on track and accelerate progress in the fight against one of our oldest and most deadly diseases.

“There were an estimated 14 million more malaria cases and 47,000 more deaths in 2020, compared to 2019, due to disruptions to services during the pandemic.

However, things could have been far worse if not for the efforts of malaria-endemic countries to maintain services.”