Ministry Undertaking Comprehensive Malaria Prevention Measures

Addis Ababa, June 13/2020(ENA) Ministry of Health announced it is undertaking preventive measures to the malaria outbreak observed in some parts of the country.

Malaria is a worldwide public health problem that causes colossal morbidity, mortality and poses a higher burden of disease. 

Subsequent to the thriving declines were recorded for two decades, malaria began to mount all over again in the last two years.

According to World Health Organization, globally in the last couple of years, there were an estimated 219 million malaria cases and 435,000 deaths with sub-Saharan Africa region the most affected area contributing for higher share of malaria cases and deaths.

In Ethiopia, where three quarters of its territory is considered endemic for malaria putting more than 60 million people at risk for infection.

National Malaria Elimination and Control Coordinator at the Ministry, Mebrahtom Haile told ENA that the rainy season is favorable for mosquitoes’ to reproduce and public mobilization is essential in avoiding swampy areas.

Comprehensive efforts in collaboration with regional states underway to contain the spread of malaria, Mebrahtom said, and added “door-to-door screening, spraying chemicals, and distributing Insecticide-treated bed nets (ITNs) are among the measures being taken.”

The Coordinator further pointed out that 80 percent of the protective equipment has been distributed to the areas while the remaining 20 percent will be dispatched in the near future.

According to him, half of the total 6.5 million liters of chemicals prepared has already been distributed to the regional states.

Moreover, he revealed that the ministry allocated 93 million birr in response to the prevention and control of malaria.

Remarkable achievement was registered in reducing the prevalence of malaria epidemic in Ethiopia over the past years, Mebrahtom said, and noted “however, public and pertinent actor’s negligence seems to result in spreading the epidemic again.”

He further stated that strengthening the existing malaria prevention program is important to get rid of the disease within short period of time.

The prevailing conditions of the global COVD-19 pandemic in the country aggravate the entire situation, he stated, and added that people tend to stay at home than going for check up to the health centers.

Therefore, he said strengthening the existing malaria prevention program is important to get rid of the disease within short period of time.

Data obtained from the ministry show that 207 people died of malaria over the last 9 months, of which ten are in the recent outbreak in Amhara, Oromia and SNNP regions.