Funding for malaria control in the West Africa sub-region rose from US$89million in 2005 to US$557million in 2013, which exceeded US$4 per capita per year in three countries — Cape Verde, the Gambia and Liberia — the 2014 World Malaria Report has revealed.
Meanwhile, it is estimated that an amount of US$5.1billion is needed annually between 2011 and 2020 to achieve universal access to malaria interventions in 99 countries with on-going malaria transmission.
While many countries have increased domestic financing for malaria control, the total available global funding remained at US$2.3billion in 2011 — less than half of what is needed.
In Ghana, where 90 percent of the health budget goes to pay wages and salaries of personnel, funding for malaria is provided mainly by western donors but is not enough to make quick advances in the fight against the disease which is still endemic in the country.
Review of trends by the report in 83 hospitals in Ghana between 2005 and 2013 showed an increase in confirmed malaria cases, admissions and deaths in all age groups — although malaria deaths in children aged under 5 years fell by 29 percent.
The increase appeared to be related to expanded diagnostic testing and increased access to health services.
A review of trends in 186 hospitals in Nigeria between 2005 and 2013 indicated an increase or no change in confirmed malaria cases, admissions and deaths across all age groups, and a stable SPR (59%).
The report said international investments grew at an annual average rate of 22 percent per year between 2005 and 2013 in the WHO African Region, compared to 15 percent across all other WHO regions.
During the same period, domestic investments grew at an annual average rate of 4 percent in the WHO African Region, compared to 2 percent in other WHO regions.
In 2013, the WHO African Region accounted for 72 percent of total malaria funding, compared to 50 percent in 2005; also, international investments accounted for 91 percent of the total investments in the WHO African Region, compared to 41 percent in other WHO regions. Funding for malaria has not grown in the other WHO regions since 2010, the report added.
Global funding
Annual funding for malaria control and elimination totaled US$ 2.7 billion in 2013, almost three times the amount spent in 2005, the report said.
It said international investments represented 82 percent of total malaria funding in 2013, totalling US$2.18billion. Domestic funding for malaria reached US$527million. However, domestic funding tallied here, according to the report, excludes expenditure for health-worker salaries and other shared costs of diagnosing and treating patients; therefore, it does not reflect the full contribution of endemic-country governments to malaria control.
Compared to 2012, total malaria funding in 2013 increased by 3 percent. Although the 2013 total exceeds that of any previous year, it represents just 52 percent of the annual estimated requirement of US$5.1billion to attain international targets for malaria control and elimination.
Source: B&FT Online | Ghana
