According to the WHO, 94% of malaria cases and 95% (580,000) of malaria deaths occur in Sub-Saharan Africa, with children under five most severely impacted, accounting for about 80% of malaria deaths in the region.

Malaria is endemic in Cote d’Ivoire which is listed among the top 10 countries with the most cases of the disease. In 2022 the West African nation which has a population of about 28 million accounted for 3% of all malaria cases globally, according to the WHO malaria report.

In a bid to tackle the disease, a team of about 8,300 community health workers equipped with bikes have become key players in reducing malaria mortality among children under five by diagnosing and treating the disease earlier. Early diagnosis also means that children needing more comprehensive care can be referred to public health centres early enough.

Equipped with bikes and medical kits, thousands of community health workers in Cote d’Ivoire are tackling malaria by cycling between remote villages to treat children and educate families, reducing cases by up to 70% in some areas so far this year.

With progress in reducing malaria grinding to a standstill globally in recent years, the World Health Organization is using World Malaria Day 2024 on April 25 to try to again accelerate the fight against the mosquito-borne disease that kills about half a million children every year.

Community health workers like François Kouadio, 46, a father of six himself, are being supported by Save the Children and a group of local partners to make sure families impacted by malaria are reached in a timely way.

He trained as a community health worker in 2015 and runs blood tests on children to test for malaria and, if positive, treats them with paracetamol and malaria tablets. He also provides care for pregnant women in the village to make sure their risk of getting malaria is minimal.

Having a community health worker living in the same village allowed Prisca to seek help from François quickly. The early diagnosis and treatment, accompanied by François’ daily visit to the family, mean one-year-old Charlene* was saved from malaria and can enjoy playing with her brothers again.

François has been able to scale up his work in recent years due to having a bike, visiting up to eight families a day within a five-kilometre radius. He pedals along dirt roads to rural villages where brick houses stand among green forests. He checks if any children are sick, provides appropriate treatment, while raising awareness about malaria and how to prevent it.

François’s hard work and dedication has won him respect within the community, where people even call him ‘doctor’. Every ding from bells on bikes used by François and three other community health workers brings comfort to the people in the villages knowing that healthcare is accessible.

“I was so scared my daughter might die when she was sick,” Prisca said. “(But) my family could see that the medication was working, and we have confident in the treatment. The community health workers are very kind, they give us the tablets for free, and the children recover from their sickness. They do such a great job at bringing comfort to the people in the village.”

 Francois said from January to March this year, he tested 31 children with fevers, of whom 24 tested positive for malaria and received treatment. This was a massive drop from previous years.

“In the past, between 20 and 30 children were registered with malaria in a month alone, but with more awareness on malaria, almost everyone now sleeps under a mosquito net and malaria cases have dropped significantly,” he said.

François said people shy away from visiting health centres due to a lack of money, but he is dedicated to caring for children and raising awareness about how to prevent malaria after seeing too many deaths from the disease. He not only encourages people to get appropriate treatment but to also protect themselves by using mosquito nets, keeping houses clean, and covering up water storage containers.

Local radio stations are also part of Cote d’Ivoire’s drive to combat malaria, broadcasting messages about how to treat and prevent the disease. Overall, the aim in Cote d’Ivoire is to reduce malaria incidence and mortality by at least 75% by 2025 compared to 2015.

Malaria is an illness spread by female mosquitoes infected with parasites. If untreated, it can be deadly. In 2022, there were an estimated 249 million cases of malaria worldwide, with children younger than five being the most vulnerable. The infection can also lead to substantial risks during pregnancy.

Dr Yssouf Ouattara, Save the Children’s Malaria Project Director in Cote D’Ivoire, said:

“Malaria is preventable and curable, but without access to care it can become deadly – especially for young children. Innovative community health projects like the one run by Save the Children in Cote D’Ivoire are important because the community health workers are able to see and treat children at home and in communities, leading to hugely improved results.”

Save the Children has been working in Cote D’Ivoire since 1991, working across education, health and nutrition, child protection and child rights, and to fight against child poverty. The malaria project is implemented in about 53 health districts in the country and in more than 1,270 health areas, in collaboration with six other organisations.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Save the Children.

Speaker of Parliament, Anita Among, has announced the release of about Shs93 billion to districts, cities and municipalities across the country, being the final payment from the Uganda Road Fund for this financial year.

Broken down, each of the 135 districts, 11 cities and 41 municaplities will receive Shs500 million.

Among tasked MPs with supervising the usage of the funds. “I hope you will go to your constituencies and monitor the funds,” she said in her communication to the House at the start of plenary on Wednesday, 24 April 2024.

The Government Chief Whip, Hon. Denis Hamson Obua, confirmed the release, which he said comes on the backdrop of complaints on the state of mainly feeder roads.

MP Francis Mwijukye (FDC, Buhweju County) cautioned against use of the funds to maintain district road equipment, saying that would ‘eat’ into funds meant for badly needed road works.

In her communication, the Speaker also condemned a news report which published unsubstantiated allegations against Parliament and MPs, with specific regard to the ongoing rationalisation process.

“MPs legislate for their constituents, for the people; nobody was bribed…how can you bribe the whole House? What did they want to achieve? Do they want the public to hate Parliament?” she said.

A section of the media carried reports of alleged impropriety on the part of MPs, which Speaker Among said made no specific references, but all the same flashed an alarmist headline which could tarnish the reputation of MPs.

She called for fair and professional reporting on Parliament by the press.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Parliament of the Republic of Uganda.

The United States calls on all armed forces in Sudan to immediately cease attacks in El Fasher, North Darfur. We are alarmed by indications of an imminent offensive by the Rapid Support Forces and its affiliated militias. An offensive against El Fasher city would subject civilians to extreme danger, including the hundreds of thousands of displaced persons who have taken refuge there. The United States is deeply troubled by credible reports that the RSF and its affiliated militias have razed multiple villages west of El Fasher. We also condemn reported indiscriminate aerial bombardments in the region by the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and their continued limitations on life-saving humanitarian aid access.

The leaders of the SAF and RSF and their affiliated militias face a choice – escalate the violence and perpetuate the suffering of their people while risking the disintegration of their country, or cease attacks, allow unhindered humanitarian access, and prepare in good faith for negotiations to end this war and restore power to the people of Sudan.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of U.S. Department of State.

Ghana’s Vice President, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, on Wednesday (24 April, 2024) visited the Vatican, where he was warmly received by Pope Francis as part of his working visit to the Republic of Italy and the Vatican State.

This landmark meeting underscores Ghana’s commitment to strengthening ties with the global community and fostering diplomatic relations on an international scale.

The historic encounter took place in the Vatican’s Paul VI Hall, where Dr. Bawumia had the distinct honour of meeting with Pope Francis. Accompanied by the Second Lady Hajia Samira Bawumia and other government officials, Dr. Bawumia’s visit to the Vatican symbolised Ghana’s dedication to engaging with global leaders on matters of mutual importance.

During their meeting, discussions between Dr. Bawumia and Pope Francis centered on strengthening diplomatic relations between Ghana and the Vatican.

The discussions were cordial, cementing the positive relations between the Holy See and Ghana.

Key areas of focus during the meeting included the political and socio-economic landscape of Ghana, with particular attention given to collaboration in fields such as education and healthcare. These discussions underscored Ghana’s commitment to advancing its socio-economic development and fostering partnerships with international stakeholders to achieve common goals.

In addition to meeting with Pope Francis, Dr. Bawumia also engaged in talks with Archbishop Paul Richard Gallagher, the Vatican’s Secretary for Relations with States and International Organisations. Their discussions further cemented the strong ties between Ghana and the Vatican and explored avenues for cooperation on various issues of mutual interest.

One notable aspect of the discussions was the exchange of views on current international issues, particularly focusing on security challenges facing West Africa and the Gulf of Guinea.

Vice president Bawumia is expected to return to Ghana on Thursday, 25 April 2024.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of The Presidency, Republic of Ghana.