Invitation: Thursday 23rd of November 2023 09:30 - 10:30 AM CET
The issue of climate change is high on the political agenda. The United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP 28) will take place from Nov 30 until Dec 12, 2023. The focus in most discussions is on measures to reduce global warming. Comparatively little attention, however, is paid to the impact of climate change on global health and on existing pandemics-, such as malaria-, but also on other neglected tropical diseases.
On October 5, 2023, Germany hosted the Green Climate Fund's (GCF) replenishment conference in Bonn. The GCF received a total of 9.3 billion pledges to date from 25 countries. Germany pledged a contribution of 2 billion euros to support countries the implementation of Global South countries nationally determined contributions aimed at combating global warming.
In its World Malaria Report of 2022, the WHO reports 247 million malaria cases worldwide for 2021, with a global death toll of 619,000: Africa is by far the continent most burdened by malaria, with 95% of new infections and 96% of deaths in 2021. Children under the age of 5 amount to 80% of persons dying due to malaria. Higher risks of contracting malaria are faced during pregnancy, by people living with HIV, and travellers in malaria-endemic regions. This data indicates: Malaria is primarily a tropical disease associated with poverty. Here in the Global North, malaria is mainly discussed in the context of malaria prophylaxis during travel or when isolated infections occur. This displays the stark contrast of wealthy countries here versus poverty in impoverished regions.
Extreme weather events such as the 2022 floods and disasters in Pakistan led to a quadruplication of malaria infections and an eightfold increase in the number of deaths in affected regions. Countries in southeastern Africa face a similar situation following Tropical Storm Freddy.
The risk is high that past progress will be reversed: the spread of resistance to insecticides, drugs, vector and parasites, and the spread of resistant mosquitoes from Asia into Africa continue to be factors that could severely jeopardise progress made to date. Insecticide nets treated with two active ingredients and alternative treatment methods are thus gaining importance. To strengthen the progress in malaria control, further investments and innovations are urgently necessary.
In cooperation with civil society representatives from affected regions, parliamentarians, Global Fund and Unitaid representatives, we will discuss the impact of climate change on global health, particularly on malaria, but also on other poverty-associated and neglected tropical diseases. We will speak about how addressing those diseases can be improved and what measures are needed to remedy the situation.
We look forward to an exciting discussion!
Please register now.
