UNITED NATIONS: Under a new funding mechanism announced on Tuesday, more people in some of the world’s poorest communities will have access to high-quality health products like premium mosquito nets.
According to a UN press release issued at UN Headquarters in New York, the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria, a UN partner that invests $4 billion annually to eradicate these deadly diseases and strengthens health systems in more than 100 countries, has established a Revolving Fund for the purpose.
It will be used by the Global Fund “to play an even more strategic role in shaping the global supply of life-saving HIV, TB, and malaria products – to save lives and increase equitable access,” according to the Fund’s Executive Director, Peter Sands. He continued, “This mechanism will also help us react even more quickly to upcoming health crises, including pandemics.”
The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation donated an initial $100 million to create the Revolving Facility. The first contract will be with the Swiss business Vestergaard for its brand-new dual active ingredient (Dual AI) pesticide-treated mosquito nets, which are more efficient than traditional nets against mosquitoes that have developed insecticide resistance.
The fight against malaria, transmitted by some mosquito species, is significantly aided by using insecticide-treated nets. Since the 1990s, pyrethroid-treated mosquito nets have been used extensively and have been a critical factor in the success of global efforts to combat malaria.
In sub-Saharan Africa, where most malaria cases occur, some mosquito populations have developed resistance to these substances. As a result, the efficacy of insecticide-treated nets is declining, endangering the hard-won progress against malaria.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) updated its recommendations for using Dual AI nets in March. In places where mosquitoes have developed pyrethroid resistance, it was strongly advised that pyrethroid-chlorfenapyr nets be used to prevent malaria in adults and children.
The Global Fund aspires to guarantee sustainable rates for Dual AI networks equal to existing models by establishing a unique operational model, enabling countries to increase coverage despite limited funds.
Olivia Ngou, Executive Director of Impact Santé Afrique, an NGO supported by the Global Fund, said, “The agreement through the Revolving Facility can ensure that every child, in every community, has the greatest defense possible against malaria, a disease that kills a child every minute of every day.”
Although much work is still needed to guarantee that communities have access to malaria prevention and treatment, continuous advancements in mosquito nets and other instruments will ensure that the global effort to combat this terrible illness continues. —APP
