Ethiopia announces plan to eliminate Malaria by 2030
The Ministry of Health announced that Ethiopia has been exerting enormous efforts to eliminate malaria by 2030.
Briefing the press in connection with World Malaria Day, Health Minister Dr. Lia Tadesse said the country is striving to meet WHO’s aspiration of zero malaria case by 2030.
She noted that the ministry prioritizes malaria elimination and prevention in its 10-year health sector plan.
Presently, the country is working to eliminate the disease in 565 selected malaria prone woredas.
According to her, the ministry has above all prepared a five-year malaria prevention strategy from 2021-2025; and it has managed to secure $105.3 million from Global Fund to achieve the strategy.
Dr. Lia stated that about 10 million people have been protected from malaria in the past 9 months by introducing preventive interventions.
She further disclosed malaria cases have declined from 1.5 million a year ago to 1.2 million.
The efforts shows that the country can manage to eliminate the disease by 2030, the minister noted, calling on stakeholders and partners to collaborate on the elimination work.
World Health Organization Representative, Dr. Esther Marry Aceng said Ethiopia is one of the countries in the world that is aggressively working to prevent and eliminate malaria.
She said that Ethiopia is making commendable efforts to control and finally eliminate malaria cases from its territory.
Dr. Aceng pointed out that reported cases, deaths and epidemic of malaria have declined significantly when compared to the baseline years.
It was indicated that malaria cases in Ethiopia has dropped to 57% in 2019.
Ethiopia welcomes UNSC latest balanced statement on Ethiopia, says spokesperson
The latest statement of the UN Security Council (UNSC) has acknowledged Ethiopia’s effort at relief supplies and appreciated the joint cooperation to investigate on the alleged human rights violation in the country, MoFA Spokesperson Dina Mufti said.
In his weekly media briefing, the spokesperson said the statement issued by UNSC last week is balanced and “kind of objective as far as our position is concerned.”
According to him, the Security Council has acknowledged Ethiopia’s effort at relief supplies and they also appreciated the joint cooperation between human rights commissions of Ethiopia, the UN Human Rights Commission and the African Union to work closely so as to investigate on the alleged human rights violation in the country.
UNSC also expressed its commitment to the regional and sub-regional organizations like the African Union and IGAD, the spokesperson added.
Moreover, the Security Council also affirmed its strong commitment to the sovereignty, political independence, territorial integrity and the unity of Ethiopia, Dina pointed out.
Development Partners Group Updated on Ethiopia’s Economic Reform Program
Finance State Minister Eyob Tekalign briefed Development Partners Group (DPG) executive committee members on the current status of the Home-Grown Economic Reform program.
According to a statement issued by the ministry, the state minister presented the progress, achievements, and challenges faced by the economic reform program of Ethiopia.
Eyob explained to the participants about the achievements made in improving legal frameworks, measures taken to improve the performance of State-Owned Enterprises, and the results brought about through the implementation of sector strategies and studies that were undertaken to create a conducive environment for the private sector to participate in the national economy.
In this aspect, he explained the progress in the telecoms sector reform and progress made to liberalize the sector. Liberalization of the telecom sector will pave way for the country to develop its digital economy and support the growing business environment in Ethiopia, according to the state minister.
Furthermore, Eyob said the reforms have resulted in increasing export revenue, jobs, and enhanced performance of the agriculture sector, despite the obstacles brought by COVID-19 pandemic.
The state minister also requested continued support to the reform program from the development partners.
With regard to addressing challenges posed by COVID-19 pandemic, Eyob said it is important to ensure a just and equitable approach to the global sharing of vaccinations for COVID-19. This, he noted, is critical to make way for sustainable economic recovery for countries like Ethiopia.
