The Africa Media and Malaria Research Network (AMMREN) has called on media professionals to intensify their efforts in reporting on malaria-related issues while ensuring that it remained a priority national and international agenda.
This was contained in a press statement issued and signed by the Executive Secretary of AMMREN, Dr Binka, and copied The Ghanaian Times on Friday, in commemoration of this year’s World Malaria Day, which was celebrated under the theme, “Malaria Ends With Us: Reinvest, Reimagine, Reignite.”
According to Dr Charity Binka, a well-informed media landscape could drive behavioral change, promote the adoption of preventable measures, and hold stakeholders accountable.
To this end, she said that AMMREN, remained committed to leveraging the power of the media in partnership with researchers and scientists to amplify community voices, spotlight innovations, and demand action toward malaria elimination.
“On this World Malaria Day, the African Media and Malaria Research Network (AMMREN) reaffirms its unwavering commitment to leveraging media as a pivotal tool in the fight against malaria”, Dr Binka said.
Furthermore, Dr Binka urged all stakeholders, including governments across the world, to intensify their efforts to meet the World Health Organisation (WHO) Global Technical Strategy for Malaria goal of reducing malaria case incidence and mortality rate by 90 per cent and eliminating malaria in 35 countries by 2030.
She said that the need for stakeholders to intensify efforts in the fight against malaria was important as there were 263 million cases of malaria globally in 2023, resulting in 597,000 deaths, with the African Region accounting for 95 per cent of the cases and 96 per cent of malaria deaths, according to the WHO 2024 Annual Report.
“The African Media and Malaria Research Network (AMMREN) urges all stakeholders—governments, development partners, researchers, the private sector, and the media—to intensify efforts to meet global targets, particularly the WHO Global Technical Strategy for Malaria goal of reducing malaria case incidence and mortality rates by at least 90 per cent, and eliminating malaria in 35 countries by 2030,” Dr Binka said.
“AMMREN recognises that while significant gains have been made in fighting malaria over the years, these efforts remain fragile. According to the World Health Organisation (WHO) 2024 Annual Report, there were 263 million cases of malaria globally in 2023, resulting in approximately 597,000 deaths—with the African region accounting for 95 per cent of cases and 96 per cent of malaria deaths. Most of these are among children under the age of five”, she added.
Ghana, on Friday, joined the rest of the world to commemorate this year’s World Malaria Day, which was marked with various activities to raise awareness about the disease caused by the bite of an infected female Anopheles mosquito.
The commemoration of the day which was held at the International Central Gospel Church (ICGC), Teshie Temple, was attended by members of the Ghana Health Service, Ministry of Health, development partners, traditional leaders, and school children.
BY TIMES REPORTER