April 23, 2021 – In recognition of World Malaria Day, the United States Government celebrates the progress Mozambique has made in fighting this deadly disease and recommits to supporting Mozambique’s efforts to eliminating it completely. Today, as the world’s attention is focused on the COVID-19 pandemic, this recommitment is even more critical to maintaining our collective efforts towards ending malaria, so that one day, no one will lose their lives to this disease.
“On this World Malaria Day, we recognize our successes in the fight against malaria and highlight the responsibility we all share to finally end this deadly disease,” said U.S. Ambassador to Mozambique Dennis W. Hearne. “Together, our work has resulted in a remarkable reduction of the number of malaria-related deaths.”
Since 2007, U.S Government has invested $386 million to support Mozambique’s efforts to control malaria. This almost 15-year partnership to end malaria has yielded real results. It has helped increase the percentage of Mozambican children under five years old who sleep under insecticide-treated nets from 7 percent in 2007 to 73 percent in 2018 and decrease child death rates by 37 percent.
In conjunction with the Global Fund, U.S. Government support has also helped expand access to malaria diagnostic and treatment services nationwide. As a result, the number of reported hospital malaria deaths since 2015 have been reduced by approximately 75 percent. These incredible trends are only possible because of the joint efforts of Mozambican Government, civil society, and international partners.
The U.S. President’s Malaria Initiative (PMI) – led by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) and implemented together with the U.S. Centers for Diseases Control and Prevention (CDC) – has partnered with Mozambique’s National Malaria Control Program to deliver life-saving tools to millions of Mozambicans including insecticide-treated mosquito nets, fast-acting medicines and preventative treatments, and indoor residual spraying for better malaria control. U.S. Government support also helped train over 63,000 health workers, implement community-based education campaigns, develop disease-surveillance networks, equip laboratories, and ensure that medication gets to the communities that need them most.
The United States government is also proud to have partnered with Mozambique and the Global Fund to sustain essential malaria services amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite the challenges posed by the pandemic, during the last year the country continued to provide safe and effective malaria services – testing 19.5 million people for malaria, distributing 12 million insecticide-treated nets across the country and implementing indoor residual spraying campaigns in five provinces.
Despite this incredible progress, too many Mozambicans are still affected by malaria – too many children fall behind in school because they are sick with malaria, too many adults missed work due to this illness and thus lose income, and tragically too many Mozambicans lose their lives to malaria each year.
Science shows we can beat malaria, and we can beat it in our lifetime. To beat it we need more than government cooperation; we need individual action at all levels. Whether you are a nurse providing care, a religious leader guiding your community, a business owner supporting your employees, or an individual trying to keep your family healthy, we all have a role to play in ending malaria. Protect yourself and your loved ones from malaria, advocate for malaria control efforts in your community and let your government know that continued financial and health care worker resources are needed to combat malaria.
The people of the United States remain committed to supporting the people of Mozambique in the face of malaria, COVID-19, HIV/AIDS, and other health challenges.
The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) leads the U.S. Government’s international development and disaster assistance through partnerships and investments that save lives, reduce poverty, strengthen democratic governance, and help people emerge from humanitarian crises. For more information about USAID work to foster sustainable development and advance human dignity visit www.usaid.gov.
Photo by Ana Paula Abilio: Monitoring net durability in Angoche district.
Photo: Beneficiary receives a pulverization operator in her house.
