Discourse on malaria elimination: where do forcibly displaced persons fit in these discussions?

Malaria Journal

Commentary

Holly A Williams¹  Heiko Hering²  Paul Spiegel² 

[1] International Emergency and Refugee Health Branch, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Mail Stop F-60, 4770 Buford Hwy NE, 30341, Atlanta, GA, USA;United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, Case Postale 2500Genève 2 Dépôt, CH-1211, Suisse, Switzerland;

关键词: Malaria;    Malaria elimination;    Refugees;   

DOI  :  10.1186/1475-2875-12-121

 received in 2012-11-29, accepted in 2013-03-12,  发布年份 2013

来源: Springer

【 摘 要 】

BackgroundIndividuals forcibly displaced are some of the poorest people in the world, living in areas where infrastructure and services are at a bare minimum. Out of a total of 10,549,686 refugees protected and assisted by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees globally, 6,917,496 (65.6%) live in areas where malaria is transmitted. Historically, national malaria control programmes have excluded displaced populations.ResultsThe current discourse on malaria elimination rarely includes discussion of forcibly displaced persons who reside within malaria-eliminating countries. Of the 100 malaria-endemic countries, 64 are controlling malaria and 36 are in some stage of elimination. Of these, 30 malaria-controlling countries and 13 countries in some phase of elimination host displaced populations of ≥50,000, even though 13 of the 36 (36.1%) malaria-elimination countries host displaced populations of ≥50,000 people.DiscussionNow is the time for the malaria community to incorporate forcibly displaced populations residing within malarious areas into malaria control activities. Beneficiaries, whether they are internally displaced persons or refugees, should be viewed as partners in the delivery of malaria interventions and not simply as recipients.ConclusionUntil equitable and sustainable malaria control includes everyone residing in an endemic area, the goal of malaria elimination will not be met.

【 授权许可】

CC BY   
© Williams et al.; licensee BioMed Central Ltd. 2013