Eradication of malaria needs cooperation  

Malaria is a predominantly sub-Saharan African problem. In 2018, it was estimated that of the roughly 228 million cases worldwide, 93 per cent of them occurred in sub-Saharan Africa, as did 94 per cent of the deaths.

 It costs our continent $12 billion annually in healthcare costs and direct losses, in addition to huge debt burdens borne by families of those who lost their lives to the sickness.

But recent news that a team of Kenyan and British scientists might have found a possible cure has come at the best possible time.

The World Health Organisation announced in April that the battle against malaria has been temporarily stalled due to a combination of things.

Money allocated to health care is being funnelled towards Covid-19 mitigation efforts.

At the same time, mosquitoes have been showing more resistance to traditional treatments.

The Kenyan-British team, which has been working on the shores of Lake Victoria, have discovered a novel method that might be able to prevent the ability of mosquitoes to transmit malaria to humans.

The discovery of the scientists involves Microsporidia MB, which lives within the mosquito’s gut.

It protects mosquitoes from being infected with the parasite that causes malaria.

The team of researchers are investigating the possibility of using Microsporidia MB as an environmentally friendly way to replace the harmful mosquito population with one that does not transmit malaria.

Eradicating mosquitoes entirely would disrupt the fragile food chain.

Instead, they hope to begin by infecting mosquitoes in the Lake Victoria region with Microsporidia MB so that they will not be able to harm humans.

 This breakthrough comes just a month after President Kenyatta’s speech on World Malaria Day on April 20.

 As chairperson of the African Leaders Malaria Alliance (ALMA), it is one of our president’s most important duties to work towards the eradication of malaria, not just in our country but across Africa and the world. 

 Over the last ten years, the prevalence of malaria infection in Kenya has been reduced from 6 to 4.6 million infections.

 This progress is largely a result of support and cooperation between the government, development partners and our frontline health providers such as doctors, nurses and other cadres of our gallant medical personnel.

 While it seemed that ALMA’s stated goal of ending the disease completely by the year 2030 was temporarily knocked off track due to the global coronavirus pandemic, it appears that we are now back on course. 

 In his speech, President Uhuru Kenyatta noted that even with so much attention and funding geared towards Covid-19 right now, malaria prevention efforts have not gone by the wayside.

The government will distribute more than 15 treated mosquito nets this year to cover 25 million Kenyans. 

Malaria kills 400,000 people each year, the vast majority in Africa. The closer we get to eradicating it, the better the long term forecast for the African economy.

 The consortium of leaders in ALMA are also working together to increase investments in community health education as well as access to malaria treatment centres, while still using environmental concerns to shape policy.

With these measures complimenting the newly released research from Lake Victoria, the possibility of complete eradication has never been closer. 

 And the fact that Kenyan researchers are working on this cure with their British counterparts is a testament to the strength of both our own homegrown research abilities and the importance of strong partnerships with other countries. 

 Our scientists at the forefront of cutting edge disease research will serve as an example for budding scientists in primary school, who in the past might have aspired to take their talent elsewhere, to the US or UK. Now, instead of that brain drain, they can look up to experts in the field who use their skills and knowledge to solve our most pressing local problems.

 And with an alliance of African leaders against malaria with Kenyatta at its head, we are closer than ever to eradicating it completely.

Once again, Kenya is at the forefront of our continent, and happy to share our knowledge and expertise.

While Covid-19 serves as a big distraction from all other public health issues, we in Kenya have not forgotten the other issues that need to be confronted.