Rwanda announces major campaign to eradicate malaria

Rwanda has announced major interventions to eradicate new cases of malaria infection which is on the increase in the country despite efforts to combat it.

Addressing a news conference on Wednesday, Rwanda minister of health Dr. Diane Gashumba said the country is facing increasing cases of malaria infections, and the campaign marks renewed efforts aimed at preventing and controlling malaria, so that it ceases to be major public health problem in the small central Africa country.

"We have discussed with partners and different stakeholders on different interventions that will be applied towards combating new malaria infections. The interventions will include donating treated mosquito nets to people countrywide, extending indoor residual spraying practice to selected malaria prone districts, educating the population about best practices to prevent malaria and as well as mass malaria drug inspection," she explained.

Gashumba noted that the government will examine the standards of other preventative measures like repellants to ensure malaria is significantly controlled.

She called on the communities to allow those who will be tasked with spraying of houses with insecticides to be given access.

According to available statistics from the ministry of health, malaria cases in Rwanda increased from 514,173 in 2014 to 1,957,000 in 2015. However malaria death decreased from 499 in 2014 to 424 in 2015.

The increased malaria infection is blamed on climate change, outdated and substandard mosquito nets.

According to the ministry about 83 percent of Rwandan households have treated mosquito nets. The government targets at least one mosquito net per two people.

In 2013, about 900, 000 cases of malaria were diagnosed in Rwanda. Of these, 409 people died, with 30 percent of them being children under five.

Figures from Rwanda Biomedical Centre show that the morbidity rate in the country stands at 9 percent while the mortality rate is at 4 percent.

Malaria comes as fourth killer disease in Rwanda after Neonatal illness, Pneumopathies and Cardio-vascular diseases.

Rwanda was early last year recognized for its battle against malaria, by the African Leaders Malaria Alliance Awards for Excellence in Vector Control.

The small Central African country has of recent been rated as being on course to achieving the Millennium Development Goal of combating malaria.

Malaria kills around 400,000 people a year, with majority of them being children in sub-Saharan Africa, according to the World Health Organization. Endit