Experience from previous disease outbreaks has shown the disruptive effect on health service delivery and the consequences for diseases such as malaria.
The 2014-2016 Ebola outbreak in Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone, for example, undermined malaria control efforts and led to a massive increase in malaria-related illness and death in the 3 countries.
A modelling analysis from WHO and partners, published on 23 April , found that the number of malaria deaths in sub-Saharan Africa could double this year alone if there are severe disruptions in access to insecticide-treated nets and antimalarial medicines due to COVID-19.
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这些预测强调了在大流行期间坚持不懈地努力预防、发现和治疗疟疾至关重要。
These projections reinforce the critical importance of sustaining efforts to prevent, detect and treat malaria during the pandemic.
In all regions, protective measures should be utilized to minimize the risk of COVID-19 transmission between patients, communities and health providers.
Since the early days of the pandemic, there have been reports of disruptions in the supply chains of essential malaria commodities – such as long-lasting insecticidal nets, rapid diagnostic tests and antimalarial medicines – resulting from lockdowns and from a suspension of the importation and exportation of goods in response to COVID-19.
WHO and partners are working together to ensure the availability of key malaria control tools, particularly in countries with a high burden of the disease, and that efforts to limit the spread of COVID-19 do not compromise access to malaria prevention, diagnosis and treatment services.