Pausing the Fight Against Malaria to Combat the COVID-19 Pandemic in Africa: Is the Future of Malaria Bleak?
Malaria remains a major global health burden, killing hundreds of thousands annually, especially in sub-Saharan Africa. In 2019, a Phase IV Expanded Programme on Immunization (EPI)-linked malaria vaccine implementation was underway. However, in December 2019, a novel pneumonia condition termed coron...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2020-06-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Microbiology |
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| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fmicb.2020.01476/full |
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| author | Nora Nganyewo Nghochuzie Nora Nganyewo Nghochuzie Charles Ochieng' Olwal Charles Ochieng' Olwal Aniefiok John Udoakang Aniefiok John Udoakang Lucas Naam-Kayagre Amenga-Etego Lucas Naam-Kayagre Amenga-Etego Alfred Amambua-Ngwa Alfred Amambua-Ngwa |
| author_facet | Nora Nganyewo Nghochuzie Nora Nganyewo Nghochuzie Charles Ochieng' Olwal Charles Ochieng' Olwal Aniefiok John Udoakang Aniefiok John Udoakang Lucas Naam-Kayagre Amenga-Etego Lucas Naam-Kayagre Amenga-Etego Alfred Amambua-Ngwa Alfred Amambua-Ngwa |
| author_sort | Nora Nganyewo Nghochuzie |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Malaria remains a major global health burden, killing hundreds of thousands annually, especially in sub-Saharan Africa. In 2019, a Phase IV Expanded Programme on Immunization (EPI)-linked malaria vaccine implementation was underway. However, in December 2019, a novel pneumonia condition termed coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), with many clinical, epidemiological, and biological parallels to malaria, was reported in Wuhan, China. COVID-19 is spreading rapidly, and, as of the 3rd of June, 2020, more than 382,507 persons had died from COVID-19. Children under 5 years who suffer high malaria-attributable mortalities are largely asymptomatic for COVID-19. Considering that the malaria burden is highest in low-income tropical countries with little capacity to fund malaria control and eradication programs, the fight against malaria in these regions is likely to be hampered. Access to healthcare has generally been limited, while malaria interventions, such as seasonal malaria chemotherapy and distribution of insecticide-treated bed nets, have been suspended due to lockdowns. Likewise, the repurposing of antimalarials for treatment of COVID-19 shared symptoms and the shift in focus from the production of malaria rapid diagnostic tests (RDTs) to COVID-19 RDTs is a cause for concern in malaria-endemic regions. Children are less affected by the COVID-19 pandemic compared to the elderly. However, due to the fears of contracting SARS-CoV-2, the elderly who are worst affected by COVID-19 may not take children for malaria medication, resulting in high malaria-related mortalities among children. COVID-19 has disproportionately affected developed countries, threatening their donation capacity. These are likely to thwart malaria control efforts in low-income regions. Here, we present perspectives on the collateral impact of COVID-19 on malaria, especially in Africa. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-22T02:41:31Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-d226ba2ddb1747c3b3c99b6699a53bf5 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1664-302X |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-22T02:41:31Z |
| publishDate | 2020-06-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Microbiology |
| spelling | doaj.art-d226ba2ddb1747c3b3c99b6699a53bf52022-12-21T18:41:37ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Microbiology1664-302X2020-06-011110.3389/fmicb.2020.01476561836Pausing the Fight Against Malaria to Combat the COVID-19 Pandemic in Africa: Is the Future of Malaria Bleak?Nora Nganyewo Nghochuzie0Nora Nganyewo Nghochuzie1Charles Ochieng' Olwal2Charles Ochieng' Olwal3Aniefiok John Udoakang4Aniefiok John Udoakang5Lucas Naam-Kayagre Amenga-Etego6Lucas Naam-Kayagre Amenga-Etego7Alfred Amambua-Ngwa8Alfred Amambua-Ngwa9West African Centre for Cell Biology of Infectious Pathogens (WACCBIP), University of Ghana, Accra, GhanaDepartment of Biochemistry, Cell and Molecular Biology, College of Basic and Applied Sciences, University of Ghana, Accra, GhanaWest African Centre for Cell Biology of Infectious Pathogens (WACCBIP), University of Ghana, Accra, GhanaDepartment of Biochemistry, Cell and Molecular Biology, College of Basic and Applied Sciences, University of Ghana, Accra, GhanaWest African Centre for Cell Biology of Infectious Pathogens (WACCBIP), University of Ghana, Accra, GhanaDepartment of Biochemistry, Cell and Molecular Biology, College of Basic and Applied Sciences, University of Ghana, Accra, GhanaWest African Centre for Cell Biology of Infectious Pathogens (WACCBIP), University of Ghana, Accra, GhanaDepartment of Biochemistry, Cell and Molecular Biology, College of Basic and Applied Sciences, University of Ghana, Accra, GhanaMedical Research Council Unit The Gambia at LSHTM, Banjul, The GambiaLondon School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, University of London, London, United KingdomMalaria remains a major global health burden, killing hundreds of thousands annually, especially in sub-Saharan Africa. In 2019, a Phase IV Expanded Programme on Immunization (EPI)-linked malaria vaccine implementation was underway. However, in December 2019, a novel pneumonia condition termed coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), with many clinical, epidemiological, and biological parallels to malaria, was reported in Wuhan, China. COVID-19 is spreading rapidly, and, as of the 3rd of June, 2020, more than 382,507 persons had died from COVID-19. Children under 5 years who suffer high malaria-attributable mortalities are largely asymptomatic for COVID-19. Considering that the malaria burden is highest in low-income tropical countries with little capacity to fund malaria control and eradication programs, the fight against malaria in these regions is likely to be hampered. Access to healthcare has generally been limited, while malaria interventions, such as seasonal malaria chemotherapy and distribution of insecticide-treated bed nets, have been suspended due to lockdowns. Likewise, the repurposing of antimalarials for treatment of COVID-19 shared symptoms and the shift in focus from the production of malaria rapid diagnostic tests (RDTs) to COVID-19 RDTs is a cause for concern in malaria-endemic regions. Children are less affected by the COVID-19 pandemic compared to the elderly. However, due to the fears of contracting SARS-CoV-2, the elderly who are worst affected by COVID-19 may not take children for malaria medication, resulting in high malaria-related mortalities among children. COVID-19 has disproportionately affected developed countries, threatening their donation capacity. These are likely to thwart malaria control efforts in low-income regions. Here, we present perspectives on the collateral impact of COVID-19 on malaria, especially in Africa.https://www.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fmicb.2020.01476/fullmalariaplasmodiumCOVID-19SARS-CoV-2ACE2coronaviruses |
| spellingShingle | Nora Nganyewo Nghochuzie Nora Nganyewo Nghochuzie Charles Ochieng' Olwal Charles Ochieng' Olwal Aniefiok John Udoakang Aniefiok John Udoakang Lucas Naam-Kayagre Amenga-Etego Lucas Naam-Kayagre Amenga-Etego Alfred Amambua-Ngwa Alfred Amambua-Ngwa Pausing the Fight Against Malaria to Combat the COVID-19 Pandemic in Africa: Is the Future of Malaria Bleak? Frontiers in Microbiology malaria plasmodium COVID-19 SARS-CoV-2 ACE2 coronaviruses |
| title | Pausing the Fight Against Malaria to Combat the COVID-19 Pandemic in Africa: Is the Future of Malaria Bleak? |
| title_full | Pausing the Fight Against Malaria to Combat the COVID-19 Pandemic in Africa: Is the Future of Malaria Bleak? |
| title_fullStr | Pausing the Fight Against Malaria to Combat the COVID-19 Pandemic in Africa: Is the Future of Malaria Bleak? |
| title_full_unstemmed | Pausing the Fight Against Malaria to Combat the COVID-19 Pandemic in Africa: Is the Future of Malaria Bleak? |
| title_short | Pausing the Fight Against Malaria to Combat the COVID-19 Pandemic in Africa: Is the Future of Malaria Bleak? |
| title_sort | pausing the fight against malaria to combat the covid 19 pandemic in africa is the future of malaria bleak |
| topic | malaria plasmodium COVID-19 SARS-CoV-2 ACE2 coronaviruses |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fmicb.2020.01476/full |
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