Statement of the Socialist Party to mark World Malaria Days
This year we mark World Malaria Day – April 25 – in the throes of responding to the COVID-19 pandemic.
While cases of the coronavirus in our malaria-affected country currently represent only a small proportion of the global total, the situation is evolving rapidly. Given this very complicated situation, it is necessary to recognise the critical importance of sustaining efforts to prevent, detect and treat malaria, using best practices to protect health workers and communities from COVID-19 infection.
The fight against the coronavirus shouldn’t completely take away focus from keeping malaria high on the political agenda, mobilising additional resources, and empowering communities to take ownership of malaria prevention, care and treatment.
To radically reduce suffering and death leadership and collective action is needed.
We were making progress in the fight against malaria but in recent years that has almost ground to a standstill.
We are not recording much gains in reducing new infections. And nearly as many people died from malaria in 2019 as the year before.
Urgent action is needed to get back on track.
Issued by Fred M’membe on behalf of the Politburo of the Socialist Party
Garden Compound, Lusaka