The National Malaria Control Program (NMCP) disclosed that 725 malaria-related deaths were recorded in The Gambia between 2014 and 2024, alongside over 1.09 million confirmed malaria cases. The announcement came during a press briefing organized by the NMCP, under the Ministry of Health and partners, ahead of World Malaria Day on April 25.
Yankuba Fabureh, the NMCP’s Data Manager, presented detailed statistics indicating the fatalities associated with malaria over the past decade. He noted that in 2014 alone, 167 deaths were attributed to malaria, with subsequent annual figures showing 86 deaths in 2015, 54 in 2016, 60 in 2017, 41 in 2018, 73 in 2019, 42 in 2020, 62 in 2021, 69 in 2022, and 71 in 2023. The tally culminated in the reported deaths for 2024.
Furthermore, Fabureh shared data from the Malaria Situation and Progress Updates on Malaria Intervention Report, stating that about 22,371 people have confirmed malaria cases during the same time frame.
Fabureh further indicated that 108,002 new malaria cases were confirmed in 2024 alone. Cumulatively, the malaria case statistics from 2014 to 2023 showed respective figures of 249,437, 155,456, 76,857, 83,654, 52,757, 72,301, 74,089, 110,801, and 116,514 cases.
The report highlighted significant severe malaria cases, particularly in 2014, with 5,238 individuals affected, followed by 1,227 and 2,390 cases reported in 2015 and 2016, respectively.
The Program Manager of the NMCP also outlined the agency’s core interventions as part of its 2021-2025 Malaria Strategic Plan. These interventions include malaria diagnosis and treatment, surveillance, monitoring and evaluation, integrated vector management, prevention and control of malaria in pregnancy, and seasonal malaria chemoprevention.
Balla Gibba, Deputy Program Manager of the NMCP, stated that the agency aims to eliminate malaria in The Gambia by December 2025.
He noted that various factors, including the COVID-19 pandemic and the Acute Kidney Injuries (AKI) affecting many children, have contributed to fluctuations in malaria cases.
Gibba observed that during the AKI crisis in 2022 and 2023, there was a significant drop in reported malaria cases, likely due to individuals’ hesitancy to seek healthcare.
He affirmed that the NMCP intends to collaborate with partners to comprehensively assess the factors influencing the rising and falling trends in malaria cases nationwide.
Other speakers at the briefing included Huja Jah, Deputy Head of Programmes, and Dr. Nathan Bakyaita Njubuga, WHO Country Representative. They addressed the importance of partnership, collaboration, and collective participation in efforts to eliminate malaria in The Gambia.
Their remarks emphasized the need for a united approach among stakeholders to enhance the country’s malaria prevention and control strategies.
The post Gambia Records Over 700 Malaria-Related Deaths from 2014–2024, NMCP Reports appeared first on The Alkamba Times.
