Posted April 2001
AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria epidemics are not inevitable: there is evidence that many developing countries are successfully deploying strategies to turn back these diseases of poverty. Indeed, throughout the world, communities have mobilized to use their knowledge, skills, and resources to reverse the devastating impact of diseases that kill the poorest and most vulnerable populations.
This is a clear message of the UN report, 'Health, a Key to Prosperity: Success Stories in Developing Countries'. Jointly issued by WHO, UNESCO, UNAIDS, UNFPA and the World Bank the report outlines some key factors for combating diseases, including childhood diseases and maternal and perinatial conditions, even in resource-poor settings. It also details success stories from 20 different countries, encompassing a wide variety of economic, social and geographic conditions.
Uganda, Thailand, and Senegal are all national success stories in the fight against HIV/AIDS. Over a million lives have been spared from TB in the past decade due to the success of TB control efforts in countries such as China, India, Nepal, and Peru. Malaria has been turned back in Azerbaijan and Viet Nam and reduced in some parts of Kenya and Ethiopia. Childhood deaths and disability have been reduced in Bangladesh, Benin, Brazil, Malawi, Mexico, Pakistan, Tanzania, and Thailand. And maternal deaths have been reduced in a number of countries, including Sri Lanka.
Read the full text version of 'Health, a Key to Prosperity: Success Stories in Developing Countries'.
One-fifth of the world's population is at risk of malaria and there are more than 300 million cases each year. In addition, malaria kills more than a million people, most of whom need not die. Failure of health systems, drug resistance, population movement, deteriorating sanitation, climatic changes and in some cases, unplanned development activities, all contribute to the spread of malaria.
In 1998, the Global Partnership to Roll Back Malaria (RBM) was launched by WHO, the World Bank, UNICEF and UNDP to assist countries reduce the global burden of malaria by half by the year 2010. The partnership - including governments, development agencies, civil society and the media - aims to secure prompt access to affordable and appropriate treatment for malaria sufferers and promotes the use of personal and community protective measures for those at risk, particularly young children and pregnant women. The partnership also promotes actions that maintain maximum vigilance to prevent malaria epidemics and outbreaks.
Although much progress has been made in initiating action, there is much that needs to be done. The 4th meeting of the Global Partnership to Roll Back Malaria (World Bank, Washington D.C. April 18-19, 2001) will specifically aim to identify how to enlist additional actors and employ additional avenues for increased action at the country level. In particular, it will address the key issue - how can malaria-affected countries and their partners mobilize action beyond malaria control programmes, beyond the public health sector, and beyond the public sector?
For information on the RBM, visit http://www.rbm.who.int.