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Leonard Ncube – [email protected]

THE Anglican Cross Border Malaria Initiative (ACBMI), a partnership between the Anglican Church and governments in some Southern African countries is exhibiting at the Matabeleland North Agricultural Show for the first time to raise awareness against malaria.
ACBMI, driven by the Anglican church has programmes in Angola, Namibia, Zambia and Zimbabwe.
In Zimbabwe the programmes are in Hwange and Binga in Matabeleland North, Kariba and Hurungwe in Mashonaland West, districts that are prone to malaria along the Zambezi River.

In the ACBMI, the Anglican Church in Zimbabwe works with the Government through the Ministry of Health and Child Care, and recently involved other ministries for advocacy and behavior change.
ACBMI programmes manager for Hwange and Binga, Mrs Pulelo Bhebhe, said they decided to exhibit so as to raise awareness on malaria.
“Ours is advocacy and behavior change. We assist Government and the ministry on what we call the last mile. We work in Zambia, Zimbabwe, Angola and Namibia under the Anglican Church,” she said.
“In Matabeleland North, we are in Hwange and Binga and in Mashonaland West we are in Hurungwe and Kariba targeting sites along the Zambezi River.
“In terms of social behavior change we want to see mosquito nets not being abused. We are there to assist the ministry to distribute the nets and do indoor residual spraying and we also work mostly with community health workers who are trained by the Government so that they are able to track, test and treat.
“So, we came here to sensitise the community and exhibitors,” she said.
ACBMI field officer for Hwange Mr Themba Sibanda said the organization was there to make sure that strategies spearheaded by the Government in the fight against malaria are not abused.
He said the programme started in 2012 in Matabeleland North and a few years ago in Mashonaland West.
“Exhibitors are coming from different places, some non-malaria zones but since they are here they need to be sensitized. “Malaria manifests from 10 to 15 days after infection, so information is key,” he said.
The show ends tomorrow with and official opening.

-@ncubeleon