世界衛生組織：瘧疾仍然是威脅

The World Health Organization says that despite great progress in treating and preventing malaria in many affected countries over the past decade, a shortage of funds could lead to a resurgence of the disease.

The WHO's new annual report on malaria says global support for the fight against malaria has stalled in the past year after a rapid expansion between 2004 and 2009. The report issued this week says that as a result, the delivery of insecticide-treated mosquito nets delivered to endemic countries in sub-Saharan Africa dropped by more than one-half over the past two years -- from 145 million in 2010 to 66 million in 2012.

Nigeria and the Democratic Republic of Congo are the hardest hit countries in that region. India is the most affected country in Asia.

WHO official Richard Cidulskis says an estimated 1.1 million deaths from malaria have been averted in 10 most affected countries in Africa. He said another 50 countries are on track to reduce malaria incidence by 75 percent by 2015.

But he says a decrease in funds for medication, nets and other means of fighting the disease could lead to its renewed spread.世界衛生組織說，雖然很多瘧疾流行的國家過去10年裏在防治瘧疾方面取得很大進展，但是資金短缺可能會導致瘧疾捲土重來。

世界衛生組織發佈的瘧疾新年度報告說，防治瘧疾的工作在2004年到2009年取得快速擴展後，全球對防治瘧疾工作的支持在過去一年裏陷入停滯。本週發佈的這份報告說，其結果是，在過去兩年裏，向瘧疾流行的撒哈拉南部國家發放防蚊處理蚊帳的數量下降了一半以上，從2010年的1億4500萬頂跌到2012 年的6600萬頂。

尼日利亞和剛果民主共和國是該地區受衝擊最嚴重的國家。在亞洲，印度是受影響最大的國家。

世界衛生組織官員理查德.斯杜爾斯基斯說，在非洲10個瘧疾流行最嚴重的國家裏，估計有110萬人避免死於瘧疾。他說，另外50個國家正致力於在2015年將瘧疾病例減少75%。

不過他說，減少提供藥物、蚊帳和其他防治瘧疾的工具等方面的資金，將導致瘧疾感染捲土重來。