26 Oct 2014

A stronger malaria surveillance is needed to enable a timely and effective elimination of the disease, according to director of the Merafhe Medical Centre, Dr Padi Nkashama.

Dr Nkashama was speaking at an event organised by 13 Serowe Institute of Health Sciences student nurses as part of their course requirement to identify and solve a health problem in their community. 

He said although Botswana was one of the countries determined to eliminate malaria, the tracking process was a major challenge in malaria control. He noted that only 14 per cent of malaria cases were detected through the laboratory, adding that it made it difficult to treat malaria on time. 

Dr Nkashama said it was important for health practitioners to diagnose malaria as soon as possible, and for individuals to consult a doctor when they experience malaria symptoms such as fever, headache, chills and vomiting.

“Malaria is a challenge to all because it is a deadly disease though it is preventable and curable. Late diagnosis of diseases can put the patient in a comma, dehydration and can lead to organ failure,” he said.

He added that “we cannot eliminate malaria if we don’t diagnose it on time, treat it correctly and make follow ups.”

Concerning prevention, he said vector control was the main way to reduce malaria transmissions at the community level, and the only intervention that could reduce its transmission from high levels to zero. 

He said people should sleep in insecticide-treated mosquito nets and that indoor spraying with residual insecticides was effective. For her part, a registered nurse, Ms Gosaitse Phillip, who is a focal person for malaria in her area, said they have recorded six malaria cases in Serowe.

Ms Phillip pleaded with the community to give health workers conducting tests for malaria a warm reception. She said whenever a case was reported, the patient’s family members and people living within that quarter would be tested for the disease.

One of the student nurses, Ms Masego Nthako encouraged residents to keep their environment clean in order to reduce the breeding grounds of mosquitoes.

Ms Nthako regretted that many households do not have waste storage facilities and urged the community to acquire affordable waste receptacles such as dust bins or containers.

She noted that litter was building-up because many materials that were used were non-biodegradable unlike in the past when a lot of materials were biodegradable.

The 13 student nurses donated 35 treated mosquito nets to selected members of the community, three containers to be used as bins in the ward and a bill board to sensitise the community about keeping a clean environment. ENDS