Bali, June 17
Countries of the Asia-Pacific region called for urgent action and solidarity in the fight against malaria during the two-day 9th Asia-Pacific Leaders' Summit on Malaria Elimination, held in Indonesia's Bali.
"Time is the most precious commodity we have. And in this time of extraordinary conflict, contraction, and chaos across the global health landscape, what we need most is cooperation and commitment," Asia Pacific Leaders Malaria Alliance CEO Sarthak Das said on Tuesday.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) has recorded more than 260 million global malaria cases, with over 600,000 deaths, three-quarters of them children under the age of five.
A technical session with international experts was held on the first day, discussing the latest evidence, innovations, and malaria control and elimination strategies, while emphasising the importance of solidarity across borders, sectors, and communities.
The Global Fund's Executive Director, Peter Sands, highlighted the progress made in tackling malaria, in line with growing global capabilities in technological and medical innovation.
He also underscored the importance of this summit at a time when countries and regions are facing immense challenges in the fight against malaria, not only climate change, conflict, and economic pressures, but also a significant decline in external funding, news agency reported.