Zim winning malaria fight

07 Feb, 2016 - 00:02 0 Views
Zim winning malaria fight

The Sunday News

Tinomuda Chakanyuka Sunday News Reporter
THE country continues to record success in containing malaria after witnessing a significant decline in the disease’s cases and deaths in 2015 compared to 2014. Data from the Ministry of Health and Child Care shows that 300 890 malaria cases were recorded in 2015 compared to 535 933 cases that were recorded in 2014. At least 412 people died of malaria countrywide in 2015 down 578 who succumbed to the disease in 2014. This signifies a 36 percent reduction in malaria incidence between the two years.
The malaria incidence rate in 2014 stood at 39 malaria cases per 1 000 population but went down to 25 malaria cases per 1 000 population last year. Malaria incidence rate refers to the number of new cases of malaria per 100 000 people each year.

Available data also shows that the country has also surpassed the global 2015 Roll Back Malaria Partnership target for countries to have reduced malaria incidence by 75 percent by December 2015 compared to from the year 2000.

Zimbabwe achieved 82 percent reduction on this target. Programme manager of the malaria control unit in the Ministry of Health and Child Care Dr Joseph Mberikunashe attributed the decrease to the various strategies employed by Government to contain the disease.

He said the country had put in place various measures specific to the different malaria burdens experienced in different parts of the country.
“The country has put in place the following strategies, dependent on the districts malaria burden. We have put in place vector control in 44 districts that have high to moderate malaria burden. Vector control includes indoor residual house spraying, distribution of insecticidal treated nets, larvicides and personal protection. Our strategies also include intermittent preventive treatment in pregnancy targeted in 27 districts with a high to moderate malaria burden, among other measures,” he said.

Dr Mberikunashe added that the country was targeting 20 districts in Matabeleland South, Matabeleland North, Midlands and one district in Mashonaland West for malaria elimination.

“We have started enhanced surveillance activities in these districts which include case investigation, that is each malaria case is followed up and contacts tested and those found to be positive are treated. We will also be conducting a Malaria Indicator Survey (MIS) in 2016 to check on the progress of the malaria response in the country. The last MIS was conducted in 2012.” he said.

Dr Mberikunashe also attributed the decrease in malaria cases and deaths to media campaigns by the Health Ministry which he said had increased awareness among people. He, however, bemoaned delays by most people in seeking treatment citing it as one of the reasons malaria continued to claim lives.

The malaria control unit programme manager said efforts to fight malaria will be increased until cases are reduced and deaths as a result of the disease are totally eradicated.
Last year the provinces which reported the highest number of cases and deaths were Manicaland, Mashonaland Central and Mashonaland East.

Manicaland recorded 91 173 cases and 133 deaths followed by Mashonaland Central which had 81 033 cases and 75 deaths while Mashonaland East recorded 72 284 and 56 deaths.

Bulawayo, Matabeleland South, Midlands and Matabeleland North provinces recorded the least number of cases and deaths.
At least 187 cases and five deaths were recorded in Bulawayo while Matabeleland South recorded 1 368 cases and nine deaths. Midlands province had 1 832 cases and 14 cases while in Matabeleland North province eight people died of malaria out of  1 933 cases of the disease recorded.
Between 2012 and 2013 the country experienced an upsurge of Malaria incidence and the Ministry of Health and Child Care was on high alert of a possible outbreak of the disease.

In the early 2000s the country used to record up to 2 million cases of malaria every year and about 5 000 deaths, but the cases have since fallen to below 500 000 per year with an average of 350 deaths being recorded in recent years.
Zimbabwe has also engaged other countries from the Sadc region in Trans-frontier collaborative efforts to contain the disease.
Some of the regional collaborations that the country has entered into include the TransZambezi Cooperation with Malawi, Zambia, Zimbabwe, South Africa and Botswana, and the Mozisa programme with Mozambique, Zimbabwe and South Africa.

Malaria is caused by a type of mosquito known as Anopheles.
At the turn of the millennium Zimbabwe recorded an estimated two million cases of malaria per year ranking as one of the country with the highest incidence rate of the disease.

Share This:

Survey


We value your opinion! Take a moment to complete our survey

This will close in 20 seconds