AlHijjah 3, 1436, Sep 17, 2015, SPA-- The United Nations said Thursday that malaria deaths worldwide have fallen by 60 percent since 2000, with improved diagnostic tests and the massive distribution of mosquito nets aiding dramatic progress against the disease. An estimated 262 million malaria cases 15 years ago killed nearly 840,000 people. According to a joint World Health Organization (WHO)/U.N. children's agency (UNICEF) report, projections for 2015 indicate that some 214 million cases likely are to cause 438,000 deaths. "Global malaria control is one of the great public heath success stories of this century," WHO Director-General Margaret Chan said while presenting the report at Britain's House of Parliament. Chan raised hopes that the disease could one day be eradicated with more investment in vaccines and medicines. "Malaria has been tamed but by no means defeated. You either surge ahead or you sink," Chan said, noting that children under five still make up the overwhelming majority of malaria victims.
