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Thandeka Moyo, Health Reporter 

Health and Child Care Ambassador, First Lady Auxillia Mnangagwa has called on urgent action to destroy mosquito breeding grounds ahead of the rainy season to combat malaria. 

Malaria remains a major health challenge in low income countries, although Zimbabwe has done well in the past to reduce malaria deaths. 

Amai Mnangagwa said measures should be taken to prevent conditions that promote the spread of malaria ahead of the onset of the rainy season.

The First Lady also said there was no going back on cancer screening awareness campaigns.

“We are now approaching the rainy season and malaria is the most common disease during that period. Since there is a problem of water-logging during the rainy season, mosquitoes get a conducive environment to breed.

In 2018, there were 94 533 cumulative malaria cases and 85 deaths. The cumulative malaria cases rose in 2019 to 117 714 cases and 105 deaths. Manicaland Province contributed 42,2 percent of malaria cases to the national burden followed by Mashonaland Central at 27,4 percent, Mashonaland East and Masvingo. 

According to a statement from the World Health Organisation (WHO) accelerated Research and Development (R&D) funding for malaria programmes need to be stepped up to eradicate the disease. 

WHO indicates in the statement that eradicating malaria would save lives and boost economies in heavily burdened countries. 

“Accelerated research and development (R&D) in new tools for malaria prevention and treatment is key if the world is to eradicate malaria in the foreseeable future. Less than one percent funding for health R&D investment goes to developing tools to tackle malaria and it’s a reason to worry,” read the statement. 

The organisation said to achieve a malaria-free world there is need to reinvigorate the drive to find the transformative strategies and tools that can be tailored to the local situation.—@thamamoe