Kigali — Rwanda joined the worldwide neighborhood in celebrating World Malaria Day within the Ndera sector of Gasabo district, in keeping with this 12 months’s world theme, “Malaria Ends with Us: Reinvest, Reimagine, Reignite”. This vital occasion geared toward elevating consciousness about malaria prevention, management and therapy, highlighting Rwanda’s ongoing efforts to fight this lethal illness.
Malaria, a preventable and treatable illness, continues to be a public well being drawback in Rwanda and globally, impacting many lives. It stays one of many main causes of morbidity and mortality in Rwanda.
Regardless of quite a few challenges, Rwanda is making substantial progress within the combat towards malaria. The nation has considerably lowered malaria transmission, with the incidence dropping by 86% from 409 instances per 1,000 individuals per 12 months in 2016/2017 to 47 instances per 1,000 individuals per 12 months in 2022/2023.
Within the lead-up to World Malaria Day, Rwanda organized a media tour within the Nyagatare and Gisagara districts from 21 to 24 April 2025 to showcase neighborhood efforts in actively combating malaria. The tour additionally supplied a platform for sharing greatest practices.
With technical and monetary assist from WHO, the World Fund to Combat AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, the President’s Malaria Initiative (PMI) and different companions, the Ministry of Healthhas led the combat towards malaria from the entrance.
The nation has prioritized strengthening well being techniques, together with constructing the capability of neighborhood and healthcare staff, bolstering the frontline response to malaria and fostering resilience amid the evolving geopolitical and monetary challenges. Rwanda has expanded community-based well being packages and improved entry to therapy and preventive measures like Lengthy-Lasting Insecticide-Handled Nets (LLINS). The nation has accessed and distributed 6,075,797 LLINS, attaining common protection of insecticide-treated nets. It has reached a historic milestone with 71% protection in a single LLINS distribution cycle.
A notable greatest follow within the malaria programme is the Nationwide Neighborhood-Primarily based Malaria Surveillance, lately launched in Kigali. This initiative screened and handled all family members from index instances inside 15 sectors for Malaria.
“Due to that programme, we recognized 769 index instances. We then examined 2326 members of the family and located 626 linked instances that we might have in any other case missed,” stated Prof Claude Mambo Muvunyi, Director Normal of Rwanda Biomedical Centre.
Prof Muvunyi urged each citizen to take an energetic function within the combat towards malaria by eliminating breeding grounds round houses and adhering to correct remedy utilization are important. He additionally known as upon all stakeholders and establishments to affix forces in prevention and early detection.
WHO Consultant to Rwanda, Dr Brian Chirombo, emphasised the necessity for stronger collaboration amongst stakeholders for the nation to proceed the trajectory in direction of malaria elimination. “WHO is dedicated to proceed working with companions in supporting the Ministry of Well being within the combat towards malaria. We name for elevated home useful resource allocation and continued donor assist to speed up progress in direction of malaria elimination. We additionally urge all stakeholders to redouble their efforts in supporting authorities on this vital combat to save lots of lives and construct a more healthy future for Rwanda”.
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Whereas Rwanda celebrates its achievements, there’s a vital want for sustained investments and innovation within the combat towards malaria and the engagement of all stakeholders. The energetic participation of native communities in malaria prevention and their utilization of accessible interventions like mosquito nets and healthcare providers are important.
Given the present monetary challenges and the very important function of worldwide help, Rwanda calls upon improvement companions and donors to reaffirm their dedication to supporting malaria management initiatives within the nation.
Moreover, understanding the significance of innovation and analysis, Rwanda continues to advocate for continued funding in research and surveys to generate information and develop new instruments and methods to fight malaria successfully.
On this World Malaria Day, the federal government of Rwanda and its companions reaffirm their dedication to eliminating malaria. By enhancing collaboration and strengthening joint efforts, the imaginative and prescient of a malaria-free Rwanda is achievable.
For media inquiries, please contact:
Rwanda Biomedical Centre, Pascal Niyibikora, pascal.niyibikora [at] rbc.gov.rw (pascal[dot]niyibikora[at]rbc[dot]gov[dot]rw)
WHO Rwanda: Jemila M. Ebrahim, ebrahimj [at] who.int (ebrahimj[at]who[dot]int)