Afrigather On 25 April yearly, the world comes collectively to share data and experiences on malaria prevention and management, and to have a good time key milestones achieved within the battle in opposition to malaria. The Ministry of Well being and Social Providers (MoHSS) commemorated World Malaria Day at Khorixas, within the Kunene area on 14 August 2024 beneath the worldwide theme “Advancing well being fairness, gender equality and human rights” and the nationwide theme “Making certain protected communities with zero malaria”. World Malaria Day highlights the necessity for continued investments and sustained political dedication to malaria prevention and management, and to lift consciousness of Malaria prevention and management elimination on the nationwide degree.
Khorixas Mayor, Her Worship Honorable Councilor Persistence !Hoaes pledged the city’s dedication to proceed delivering providers for the neighborhood they serve. She additional urged communities to hitch the hassle of making consciousness on malaria prevention and elimination countrywide.
The Minister of Well being and Social Providers, Dr. Kalumbi Shangula used the occasion to launch three nationwide paperwork particularly: Nationwide Malaria Case Administration tips, Surveillance tips for Malaria Elimination and the Nationwide Malaria Elimination Strategic Plan 2023 – 2027. The indoor residual spray (IRS) marketing campaign was additionally launched by the Minister, which marks the beginning of the 12 months’s spray marketing campaign. IRS has been the primary vector management intervention applied in Namibia which is meant to scale back the grownup mosquito vector density and longevity and result in a discount in malaria transmission. “Our precedence stays anchored on the crucial of strengthening barrier strategies such because the promotion of using long-lasting insecticide nets and vector management by way of IRS,” stated Dr. Shangula. He additional added that MoHSS will proceed to strengthen case administration by way of common mentorship of well being staff, whereas scaling up surveillance for early detection of circumstances and therapy.
In 2017, World Well being Group (WHO) developed a framework for malaria elimination that guides the instruments, actions, and dynamic methods to realize malaria elimination and to forestall re-establishment of transmission. The framework additionally helps the technique of subnational verification in nations which have reached elimination in geographically remoted areas. The Khorixas Well being District was awarded the Simon Kunene Award by the Southern African Growth Neighborhood (SADC) Elimination 8, an initiative beneath SADC, aimed toward bringing in regards to the elimination of malaria within the area. The award is a recognition of the district’s efforts in lowering malaria circumstances to zero for 3 consecutive years by way of the Simon Kunene Award, and that is the primary time it has been awarded to Namibia.
WHO Nation Consultant, Dr. Richard Banda highlighted that World Malaria Day permits the federal government, companions and communities to resume commitments and bolster malaria interventions. “I name on the federal government, affected communities, and companions to maintain investing in malaria management and construct resilient well being techniques whereas strengthening main well being care to make sure that high quality providers can be found to all,” he added.
Presently, malaria is endemic in 10 out of the 14 areas of Namibia particularly: Kavango East, Kavango West, Ohangwena, Zambezi, Omusati, Oshana, Kunene, Oshikoto, Omaheke, and Otjozondjupa.
