In a statement, the embassy of the United States of America in Angola highlighted the significant progress of the Lusophone African country in the fight against malaria in the 15th Annual Report of the US President's Malaria Initiative submitted to the US Congress.
"To date, the United States has contributed more than $360 million to support the fight against malaria in Angola," the document said.
According to the statement, the U.S. President's Malaria Initiative is the largest source of financial resources at the level of international partners that support the fight against malaria in Angola, working closely with the Angolan authorities in the prevention and control of the disease, whose results are visible with the reduction, since 2006, of deaths from this endemic disease.
With the financial contribution of the U.S. government, it was possible to purchase and distribute more than 14.5 million mosquito nets treated with long-lasting insecticides, purchase and distribute about 24 million rapid malaria tests, more than 34 million doses of antimalarial medication, and four million doses of preventive medication for pregnant women.
The support has also served to protect some six million families through intra-household residual spraying, and has facilitated the training and technical capacity building of some 63,000 health professionals in malaria diagnosis and treatment, as well as prevention of malaria in pregnancy.
The U.S. Ambassador to Angola, Nina Maria Fite, quoted in the note, reaffirmed her country's commitment to the fight against malaria and to supporting the Angolan government in increasing access to prevention and treatment services for a healthier population that can contribute to the country's economic development.
"Despite incredible global advances in malaria control, thousands of people still lack malaria interventions that we know save lives. Therefore, we must bring services to the neglected," reads the note.
The document stresses that many nurses, community health workers and others still provide essential malaria services "with real training deficits, equipment shortages and derisory salaries."
"We must make health systems safer for these individuals and even better for the patients for whom services are provided. The milestone of eliminating malaria is still a long way off for many countries. We must strive to end malaria as quickly as possible," the statement stressed.
The U.S. President's Malaria Initiative supports 24 countries in the sub-Saharan Africa region and three programs in the Greater Mekong region of Southeast Asia for malaria control and elimination.
Malaria in Angola, an endemic disease, is the leading cause of death from illness, hospitalization, and school and work absenteeism.
