As we tackle coronavirus, we should not lose focus on deadlier malaria

Sometimes, it is hard, but very important, to not let things get out of proportion. Right now, it seems the world, and certainly international media, is exclusively concerned with the coronavirus.

It is a disease which seems to be similar to flu, and while over a 100,000 people have become infected in the span of two months, so far the number of global fatalities is around 4000. A significant number yes – but when you consider that around 150,000 people die every day around the world, not a huge number.
Thus, one might conclude that many people lose all proportions when talking about the Corona virus. They are scared of a global pandemic. In turn, markets all over the world are in deep red numbers, some which the world hasn’t seen since the economic crisis of 2008-09.
These words do indeed ring scarily in my ears. They convey the feeling that this sickness is something outstanding, different from all that has been before. A pandemic is definitely not something ordinary.
Yet, maybe we should be more scared of the ordinary, silent killers of the world. And by ‘we’, I mean the international media and their readers. They shouldn’t act in an egoistic way and instead should realise that humanity has far more pressing problems.
It is especially frustrating that some of these problems have a relatively easy solution. Take malaria as an example. It is estimated that more than 225 million people around the globe contract the disease every year, and at least a staggering 400,000 die from it.
These numbers are even more depressing as malaria is a disease which can be eliminated. We have developed over the course of the years all the necessary tools to get rid of this disease and make it a thing of the past, like the Black Death.
Yet, we are still waiting for decisive actions and measures to get rid of malaria once and for all. While people like Bill Gates are providing funds for the research and development of medical solutions, the struggle against the disease is in dire need for a strong leader with a strategic vision in order to succeed.
For President Uhuru Kenyatta, the fight against malaria has been close to his heart for a long time. Apart from placing healthcare at the top of his agenda, and making achieving Universal Health Care one of the pillars of the Big Four Agenda, Uhuru is also focussed on supporting new anti-malaria initiatives.
In the last year alone he secured World Health Organisation funding for the vaccination of all children under two years, and worked to finalise cooperation with the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) for the procurement of cutting-edge insecticides. These are huge steps towards a malaria-free future.
Uhuru continues to push forward. His latest move comes as he is taking over the leadership of the African Leaders Malaria Alliance (ALMA). In line with his pan-African ideals.
Uhuru’s stated goal is to rid Africa from malaria by 2030. In order to achieve this important and ambitious goal, he needs to get working immediately. Thus, he already presented a host of strategies to implement in cooperation with frameworks such as the African Union, and NGOs such as the RBM Partnership to End Malaria.
It is refreshing to see that Uhuru truly believes in Africa, its people and its ability to provide solutions for its problems. Thus, the President wants to focus on African research in the world-class laboratories that can be found on the continent. Our young generation is full of determination and innovation and will surely be up for the task of finding effective and affordable medication.
As we can see with current spread of the coronavirus, diseases truly don’t know borders. Thus, national solutions to fight them, while crucial in the short term, can only have a limited effect in the long term. President Kenyatta is acting accordingly, and adds a pan-African perspective to the national efforts against malaria. We should appreciate and support these efforts, and together, we will ensure that our children will encounter malaria in their textbooks only!
Mr Cherambos comments on topical socio-political issues;