By Tizaona Mulenga
Mungwi—The Ministry of Health in Northern Province says it has put in place various interventions aimed at eliminating malaria in the province.
Northern Province Health Director Ernest Mutale said the province is combining interventions so that it can fight the disease.
Professor Mutale disclosed that the province has prioritized and intensified malaria prevention through health promotion, community-based approach, and community malaria programs.
Prof. Mutale said this during the commemoration of the World Malaria Day that was held in Mungwi district.
And Northern Province Permanent Secretary Bernard Mpundu, who was represented by Mungwi District Commissioner Muma Musonda, expressed concern with the increasing cases of malaria in the province.
Mr Mpundu noted that the province recorded an increase in malaria cases from 407.6 per 1000 in 2021 to 538.1 in 2023.
He said the province however conducted a mass distribution of insecticide-treated mosquito nets to 1.6 million people in an effort to eliminate malaria in the province.
“It is the government’s priority to ensure that pregnant women should take malaria-preventive medicines given during antenatal care to protect them and their unborn babies from malaria and have the houses sprayed during the spraying campaign.” Mr Mpundu said.
And Mungwi District Health Director Chibawa Mugala revealed that the district has embarked on several quality assurance and improvement projects to fight the disease.
Dr Mugala said these interventions are yielding positive results and have seen a reduction in malaria incidence in the first quarter of 2024.
“We continue to call on concerted efforts from all key players in this fight against malaria to sustain these gains that the district has started seeing. Together, we can make a difference and deliver a world with zero malaria.” Dr. Mugala said.
Donald Sichikandawa, who represented the community, appealed to all stakeholders to work with the community in order to remove the myths associated with sleeping under a mosquito net and educate them on the importance of spraying their houses.
“We appeal to village headmen to educate their subjects on the importance of spraying and sleeping under mosquito nets.” Mr. Sichikandawa said.
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