24 Apr 2014

Public health specialist, Dr Christopher Chembe says malaria and diarrhea are preventable diseases that the country can easily eradicate.

Speaking at a press conference in Maun recently, Dr Chembe said from January to date, 72 cases and one death caused by malaria were recorded as compared to 52 cases for the same period in 2013.

He said they also recorded 1 969 cases and 16 deaths caused by diarrhea among children under the age of five years in 2014, up from 1 311 cases and four deaths the previous year.

“I must urge people to open up their homes for spraying and immediately seek medical assistance when they experience signs and symptoms of malaria. We must also seek medical assistance to treat diarrhea instead of going to traditional healers,” he said.

He added that religion and traditional medicine were derailing government’s efforts to fight diarrhea and malaria as some people ended up leaving their medicine and seeking traditional or religious healing.

He stated that government agreed with traditional and religious healers to encourage all patients to seek medical assistance first to ensure that diarrhea and malaria are treated at an early stage.

Meanwhile, chief health officer-Preventive Services Ms Gasebotho Kedikilwe revealed that government will launch standards and guidelines for clinics, hospitals, mortuaries and environmental health facilities with the purpose of improving service delivery to the community on May 7 at Maun Lodge.

She said all the standards and guidelines are user friendly and understandable. ENDS