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New model shows malaria deaths may be underestimated

3 February 2012
New model shows malaria deaths may be underestimated

 

Latest research published in the Lancet estimates the number of deaths in 2010 from malaria at 1.2 million globally compared with a previous estimate by the WHO of 665,000. The new model, from the Institute of Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME), aims to overcome the problems of unreliable health reporting in some countries. The most staggering difference between the WHO and the IHME’s estimate it the number of children over five dying from malaria which is eight times higher in the IHME estimate. Scientists from the IHME explain that this is as a result of a belief that adults have some immunity to malaria which they argue is not the case. As a result they have adjusted their statistics to include deaths recorded as a result of fever. However, other epidemiologists argue that this may not be the case and whilst this is a good starting point better disease surveillance is needed to confirm the number of deaths of malaria.

http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn21424-malaria-may-kill-far-more-people-than-we-thought.html

www.guardian.co.uk/news/datablog/2012/feb/03/malaria-deaths-mortality

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-16854026

 

 

 

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