AFRICAN GOVERNMENTS MUST WAKE UP TO TODAY'S REALITY ABOUT FINANCING HEALTHCARE: DIY ('Do It Yourself') -
The article ‘Malaria is poised for a devastating comeback in Africa’s “worst moment in 25 years” in the latest weekly BMJ is of particular importance to Africa, because as the author writes, ‘In 2000 malaria killed nearly a million people worldwide, with 90% of cases and deaths occurring in Africa. In the decades that followed, an unprecedented global effort—fuelled by billions of dollars in US and other international donor funding—slashed malaria deaths, saving millions of lives. The World Health Organization estimates that 2.2 billion malaria cases and 12.7 million deaths have been averted since 2000. Now, however, that progress is unravelling.’
But the full Text of the article is behind Paywall – * Subscribe from £184 * * For online subscription: Access this article for 1 day for: £50 / $60/ €56 (excludes VAT), which most health workers in Africa managing Malaria cannot afford!
Situations like this, highlights why African countries must prioritise measures to take care of the lives of citizens refocusing on domestic financing, cutting waste and unnecessary expenses on items that can be done without.
READ below:
Feature Malaria
'Malaria is poised for a devastating comeback in Africa’s “worst moment in 25 years”
BMJ 2025; 389 doi: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.r783 (Published 25 April 2025)Cite this as: BMJ 2025;389:r783
US cuts to international aid are coming at the worst possible time in the fight against malaria, in which Africa faces its worst challenge in a quarter century. Frank Burkybile reports on a community in fear
In 2000 malaria killed nearly a million people worldwide, with 90% of cases and deaths occurring in Africa. In the decades that followed, an unprecedented global effort—fuelled by billions of dollars in US and other international donor funding—slashed malaria deaths, saving millions of lives. The World Health Organization estimates that 2.2 billion malaria cases and 12.7 million deaths have been averted since 2000. Now, however, that progress is unravelling.
East Africa is facing a triple threat that could undo decades of malaria control efforts: rising drug resistance, the spread of insecticide resistant mosquitoes, and the arrival of a new invasive species, Anopheles stephensi. These threats, emerging against a backdrop of the US government’s abrupt withdrawal of funding for malaria programmes,1 could lead to a deadly resurgence of the disease. Without urgent intervention, experts warn that malaria cases will skyrocket in 2025.
“The thing about malaria is that it resurges quickly,” says Melanie Renshaw, principal director of the African Leaders Malaria Alliance. “When you stop doing malaria prevention, you can quickly see it back to higher levels than before prevention started—even within one malaria season.”
US is key
Malaria is one of humanity’s oldest foes, and history is littered with waves of progress followed by devastating setbacks. From the mosquito infested swamps of ancient Rome to the fever ridden plantations of the Americas, the disease has shaped societies, wars, and economies.
By the early 2000s, the world was seeing a breakthrough. Funding surged as organisations such …'
Joseph Ana
HIFA profile: Joseph Ana is the Lead Senior Fellow/Medical Consultant at the Centre for Clinical Governance Research and Patient Safety in Calabar, Nigeria, established by HRI Global (former HRIWA). He is a member of the World Health Organisation’s Technical Advisory Group on Integrated Care in primary, emergency, operative, and critical care (TAG-IC2). As the Cross River State Commissioner for Health, he led the introduction of the Homegrown Quality Tool, the 12-Pillar Clinical Governance Programme, in Nigeria (2004-2008). For sustainability, he established the Department of Clinical Governance, Servicom & e-health in the Cross River State Ministry of Health, Nigeria. His main interest is in whole health sector and system strengthening in Lower, Low and Middle Income Countries (LLMICs). He has written six books on the 12-Pillar Clinical Governance programme, suitable for LLMICs, including the TOOLS for Implementation. He served as Chairman of the Nigerian Medical Association’s Standing Committee on Clinical Governance (2012-2022), and he won the Nigeria Medical Association’s Award of Excellence on three consecutive occasions for the innovation. He served as Chairman, Quality & Performance, of the Technical Working Group for the implementation of the Nigeria Health Act 2014. He is member, National Tertiary Health Institutions Standards Committee of the Federal Ministry of Health. He is the pioneer Secretary General/Trustee-Director of the NMF (Nigerian Medical Forum) which took the BMJ to West Africa in 1995. Joseph is a member of the HIFA Steering Group and the HIFA working group on Community Health Workers. (http://www.hifa.org/support/members/joseph-0 http://www.hifa.org/people/steering-group). jneana AT yahoo.co.uk