The World Health Organisation (WHO) will highlight the serious and increasing threat of vector-borne diseases to mark World Health Day, which falls on April 7.
The day is celebrated every year to mark the anniversary of the founding of the WHO in 1948.
This year’s celebration will be on the slogan Small bite, big threat.
According to WHO, more than half the world’s population is at risk of diseases such as malaria, dengue, leishmaniasis, Lyme disease, schistosomiasis, and yellow fever, carried by mosquitoes, flies, ticks, water snails and other vectors.
A statement issued by Ms. Fadla Chab, WHO Communications Officer in Geneva and copied to the Ghana News Agency on Thursday said every year, more than one billion people are infected with vector-borne diseases and more than one million die.
Its new publication, “A global brief on vector-borne diseases”, outlines steps that governments, community groups and families can take to protect people from infection.
A global health agenda that gives higher priority to vector control could save many lives and avert much suffering. Simple, cost-effective interventions like insecticide-treated bed nets and indoor spraying have already saved millions of lives, Dr. Margaret Chan; WHO Director-General was quoted as saying.
No one in the 21st century should die from the bite of a mosquito, a sand fly, a blackfly or a tick, she added.
The statement said vector-borne diseases affect the poorest populations, particularly where there is a lack of access to adequate housing, safe drinking water and sanitation.
It said malnourished people and those with weakened immunity are especially susceptible.
It said schistosomiasis, transmitted by water snails, is the most widespread of all vector-borne diseases, affecting almost 240 million people worldwide.
Children living and playing near infested water are particularly vulnerable to the disease which causes anaemia and a reduced ability to learn.
Schistosomiasis can be controlled through regular mass treatment of at-risk groups with a safe, effective medicine, as well as improving access to safe drinking water and sanitation.
The statement said within the past two decades, many important vector-borne diseases have also re-emerged or spread to new parts of the world.
It said environmental changes, a massive increase in international travel and trade, changes in agricultural practices and rapid unplanned urbanisation are causing an increase in the number and spread of many vectors worldwide and making groups of people, notably tourists and business travellers, vulnerable.
Mosquito-borne dengue, for example, is now found in 100 countries, putting more than 2.5 billion people of the world’s population at risk.
Dengue has recently been reported in China, Portugal and the state of Florida, in the United States Reports from Greece said malaria had returned there for the first time in 40 years, it noted.
Vector control remains the most important tool in preventing outbreak of vector-borne diseases, said Dr. Lorenzo Savioli, Director of WHOs Department of Control of Neglected Tropical Diseases.
Increased funds and political commitment are needed to sustain existing vector-control tools, as well as medicines and diagnostic tools and to conduct urgently needed research.
WHO is calling for renewed focus on vector control and better provision of safe water, sanitation and hygiene of key strategies outlined in the organization’s 2011 Roadmap for the control, elimination and eradication of neglected tropical diseases, which sets targets for 2012 to 2020.
GNA
