The United Nations Special Envoy for Malaria has called on all nations to stay focused on the fight against Malaria.
There has been a decline in child deaths caused by malaria from one million in 2008 to fewer than 500,000.
Mr Ray Chambers, UN Special Envoy for Malaria said this Friday as the nations marked the sixth annual World Malaria Day.
“The world has an ethical obligation to continue to protect the hundreds of millions of children who have slept safely under a bed net and who have had access to treatment,” said Mr Chambers.
However, there has been a decline in child deaths caused by malaria from one million in 2008 to fewer than 500,000.
Furthermore, the mortality rates for children in Africa have gone down by half, but UN has urged for a stronger surveillance system to prevent new outbreaks and resurgences.
Mr Chambers said the reduction in deaths caused by malaria are attributed to a community of malaria supporters who delivered nearly 44 million long-lasting mosquito nets in the first-quarters of this year alone.
“We have arrived at this historic moment thanks to the dedicated leaders of endemic countries; committed donor countries and organizations,” he added.
However, the disease killed an estimated 627,000 people in 2012, mostly children under the age of five in sub-Saharan Africa, according to figures cited by the UN.
More than 200 million cases are believed to occur each year, most of them never tested or registered.
Meanwhile, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon applauded the progress in the fight against malaria urging for more effort.
“We must confront the fact that malaria still kills more than half a million people every year. Too many cases still go untested, unregistered and untreated,” he said.
He then called for continued investment and sustained political commitment, and will to improve malaria prevention and control.
