Advertisement

Covid-19 strengthens Britons' desire to fight global diseases, poll finds

In contrast to Covid, children aged under five are most vulnerable to malaria, accounting for 67 per cent of all deaths worldwide in 2018 - AFP
In contrast to Covid, children aged under five are most vulnerable to malaria, accounting for 67 per cent of all deaths worldwide in 2018 - AFP

Awareness among Britons on the importance of preventing global disease and the desire to fight it has grown significantly in the last year as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic, new analysis from Malaria No More UK has found.

As the pandemic continues to spread across the globe, more than half of Britons said their view on the significance of fighting global disease has grown in the last year, while almost all (98 per cent) said this was because of Covid-19.

The British public also overwhelmingly view disease prevention, both at home and abroad, as an issue of national security, with 88 per cent of people agreeing that it is important to the UK’s security. This sentiment grows with age, with 90 per cent of over fifties agreeing compared with 66 per cent of 18-24 year olds.

And in some positive news for global cooperation, nearly three quarters (74 per cent) agreed that the UK is more effective in preventing disease globally when it works with other countries. Interestingly, this view applied applied to the majority of both Remain (87 per cent) and Leave (66 per cent) voters, as well as Conservative (68 per cent) and Labour (82 per cent).

“Really the point of this particular survey was that the public mood in terms of seeing a need to invest has clearly changed in response to Covid. It has been a really traumatic experience for the whole world, but it has given us a sense of what some countries and some communities have to deal with all the time,” said Professor Azra Ghani, professor of infectious disease epidemiology at Imperial College London.

This strong display of public support comes at a time when the UK Government is undertaking a spending review of all its departments, including that of the newly formed Foreign and Commonwealth Development Office. The FCDO will now lead global health security investment, including on malaria.

The polling found that over three quarters (79 per cent) of people agree that the UK should invest in science and innovation to combat malaria.

But while the global death rate from the disease fell by 62 per cent between 2000 and 2015, progress towards ending malaria has stalled, the charity warns. Recent WHO and Imperial College London modelling has predicted that malaria deaths in sub-Saharan Africa could double in 2020 if access to life-saving insecticide-treated nets and antimalarial treatment is disrupted by Covid-19.

Progress in the battle against malaria is stalling
Progress in the battle against malaria is stalling

“Primarily that stall is due to funding,” Prof Ghani, also a lead for recent research into the impact of Covid-19 on malaria, told The Telegraph. “There’s a limit in terms of funding that’s available for the tools that we know work, such as bed nets and access to treatment. Access to treatment is lower than we’d like it to be.

“What we’re very concerned about is because of Covid there could be disruptions to annual net campaigns, which are so crucial to preventing malaria but also people getting sick and burdening the health system,” she said.

“This idea that we have to cancel routine procedures in UK hospitals at the moment to ensure that there’s capacity for Covid, that really strikes me, because that’s happening every year in the countries where malaria season swamps hospitals and means that other things can’t happen.”

The WHO African Region carries a disproportionate share of the global malaria burden, with the region home to 93 per cent of malaria cases and 94 per cent of deaths in 2018.

Although the disease is preventable and curable, there were an estimated 228 million malaria cases in 2018 and the estimated number of deaths stood at 405,000.

In contrast to Covid, children aged under five are most vulnerable to malaria, accounting for 67 per cent of all deaths worldwide in 2018.

Typhoid, malaria or pneumonia? | Students paid up to £3,500 to catch potentially deadly diseases for science
Typhoid, malaria or pneumonia? | Students paid up to £3,500 to catch potentially deadly diseases for science

"We know how to prevent, track and treat malaria, but the strain Covid-19 puts on health systems risks hard fought for progress. Protecting people against Covid-19 cannot be pursued in isolation,” said Prof Ghani.  “Governments must see maintaining efforts against malaria as a core part of pandemic preparedness or risk a catastrophic domino effect.”

The UK Government has been “critical” in leading the fight against malaria, including a five-year commitment to contribute £500m per year towards efforts as well as a commitment from the Conservative Party in its 2019 manifesto to lead the way in eradicating the disease.

“The support that comes from the UK Government is so critical. It’s really important that we maintain that,” said Prof Ghani. “The UK always invests a huge amount into science, and we’ve seen that with Covid. But equally there’s very strong scientific support for fighting malaria, and most people want to continue that investment.

“It shouldn’t be one thing or the other, we should see things holistically.”

Gareth Jenkins, director of advocacy at Malaria No More UK, said:     “The UK Government has been a critical leader in the fight to end malaria both financially and through the contribution of science, innovation and political leadership.

"Now, as the Chancellor comes to review state spending, we urge them – in unison with public sentiment - to remember the importance of fighting deadly disease globally and renew its financial commitment to ending malaria for good.”

Protect yourself and your family by learning more about Global Health Security