04 Jul 2013

The bilateral health policy specialist in the United States embassy, Ms Stephanie Villaronga says elimination of malaria requires concerted efforts from all.

She said government alone could not eliminate malaria, saying many nations including the US were working towards the Millenium Development Goal to reduce and possibly eliminate malaria by 2015. Ms Villaronga was speaking on behalf US ambassador, Ms Michelle Gavin at Molalatau in Bobirwa during a recent malaria campaign.

She said through efforts of young people, the national malaria control programme and contributions from donor agencies, mosquito nets were distributed at no cost to every household in the prone districts. Ms Villaronga said the US Embassy was privileged to work alongside students at Ledumang Senior Secondary and the delegation of Americans from Burbank (California) and US Corps, saying it was an indication that all were taking roles and responsibilities seriously in the fight against malaria.

She donated 1 000 treated nets to households and encouraged people to sleep under nets to protect themselves from mosquitoes. “The nets will not only protect you, but will kill the mosquitos and prevent them from moving on to infect your neighbour” she said.

She further said community mobilisation was essential to getting the message across  and stated that youth were showing enthusiasm. She said Ledumang ICT club together with Gaborone Sister City Burbank provided the human resource to distribute mosquito nets to villagers.

The health policy specialist also commended Mr Tommie Hamaluba who spearheaded the campaign through Ledumang ICT club and formed a lasting partnership with the embassy, Burbank and the Peace Corps to fight malaria.

On the malaria situation in Bobirwa, Dr George Rubanga, head of District Health Management Team (DHMT) said malaria transmission mainly occurred between October and May with peak in mid-February to April. He described malaria as a deadly disease that could kill within hours, but was curable and preventable.

Dr Rubanga said Bobirwa was prone to malaria due to major rivers such as Limpopo and Shashe, which created breeding places for mosquitoes. Construction of dams in Bobirwa, he said, had contributed to the rise of cases.

In 1999, 3 517 cases were recorded and they had been declining trends up to 2005 with 116 cases registered. “In 2007/8, there were 350 cases due to heavy rains that season resulting in seven deaths. “The year 2006 saw resurgence with 450 cases and a huge decline in 2011 with 30 cases mainly from Bobonong”.

He said in the 2011/12 season, one death was recorded from 37 confirmed cases and the death was due to late presentation at the hospital and the victim had visited a traditional doctor before and reported at the hospital after the healer’s medicine did not work.

Dr Rubanga said DHMT had engaged to rapid diagonistic testing of the disease as well as conduct Indoor Residual Spraying (IRS) coverage to household. He also stated that to control malaria they treated it as an epidemic and attended to any fever as malaria.

IRS coverage is at 61 perc ent below the national target of 80 per cent due to logistical challenges as well as timing because during rainy seasons people move to farms to plough. “This season we will conduct spraying before the ploughing season to ensure larger coverage”, he said.

As for Molalatau he said, the village was selected for the campaign because last year the nets were not distributed in the village. Meantime Dr Rubanga appealed for a holistic approach to carry out cross border collaboration with Zimbabwe and South Africa. Ends