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Blessing Munkuli

Binga District in Matabeleland North Province is known for its high malaria incidence owing to the existence of conditions favourable for breeding of mosquitoes.

High malaria incidence rate is mostly associated with high mortality rate.

The major malaria control method employed by the Government through the Ministry of Health and Child Care is indoor residual spraying (IRS). However, for some time it was affected by a poor reception from the communities in the district citing vast reasons.

“People used to refuse to have their homes sprayed, saying that the pesticides that were used smelled badly,” said Mr Jimmy Muleya, Nabusenga Ward Councillor.

The councillor however, commended the Zimbabwe Assistance Programme in Malaria (ZAPIM) for educating the community on benefits of IRS.

“We thank ZAPIM for showing the community the benefits of having a house sprayed. The community has since accepted the IRS programme fully. I am saying so because community members fetch water for the IRS teams to use when mixing chemicals and they clear their houses to pave way for spraying,” said Mr Muleya.

ZAPIM is a United States President’s Malaria Initiative-funded project that supports the Ministry of Health and Child Care through the National Malaria Control Programme (NMCP) to provide comprehensive malaria prevention and treatment services to Zimbabweans, with the goal of reducing malaria morbidity and mortality.

Community sensitisation on preventive measures made village heads mobilise villagers to clear access roads in areas that were not accessible by road for the IRS programme.

“IRS team members used to walk for about 40km trying to reach out to far away homes. As village heads we agreed with our people to make access roads for the ease of movement of team members,” said Village Head Liza Muleya.

In as much as IRS has been accepted by many people in Binga District to curb spread of malaria, some of the infrastructure in the area is unsprayable such as the Ng’azi (a hut on stilts), a favoured form of shelter in the district endowed with high temperatures and is ideal shelter when people are at their fields as it helps them to have a clear visibility when staying guard against hippos and elephants.

“Binga is hot, that is why I sleep in my Ng’azi. It is sad that the structure cannot be sprayed,” said Ms Nyaradzo Jalila.

Because her Ng’azi was not to be sprayed, Ms Jalila was given a mosquito net by ZAPIM.

“I was scared that I was going to suffer from malaria, which causes complications during pregnancy. Thanks to ZAPIM for providing me with a mosquito net, I gave birth to a bouncing baby boy without complications,” said Ms Jalila.

Tradition has it that pregnancy is not supposed to be announced in its early stages yet that is the stage at which Intermittent Preventive Treatment in pregnancy (IPTp) commences. More villagers are breaking from that tradition, thanks to ZAPIM.

“IPTp is designed to protect pregnant mothers from malaria which causes pregnancy complications, miscarriage or death. Pregnant mothers undergo malaria prophylaxis every three months where fansida is administered,” said Ms Mary Muleya, a nurse.

“ZAPIM assisted in community sensitisation on early pregnancy booking and there is a significant positive change,” said the Health Promotions Officer for Binga Rural District Hospital Ms Constance Mandengenda.

Through the environmental health personnel supported by ZAPIM, the community learnt of preventive measures such as larviciding, cutting grass around homes, covering and destroying pools or containers holding water in homes.

Community Action Cycle (CAC) Groups were formed at eight facilities. These are aimed at sharing the burden and challenges faced by a specific ward with regards to malaria prevention.

CAC groups identified challenges within their communities and sought means of addressing them.

“As Nabusenga Ward Community Action Cycle group we got capacitation from ZAPIM and we saw that people have financial challenges especially when one falls sick and needs to go to Binga Hospital. We then decided to have a chicken project whose proceeds are aimed at helping people in dire need of financial assistance. Some of the proceeds will be used to finance our anti-malaria sensitisation meetings. We also endeavour to grow and have goats,” said Mr Muleya.

Ms Mandengenda touted the success of ZAPIM in curbing malaria in the district.

“ZAPIM’s intervention in malaria control has brought positive results as malaria incidence dropped from 34/1000 in 2018 then 25/1000 in 2019,” she said.

“Work done by ZAPIM in the district is commendable. We however appeal for an extension of about five more years to continue cultivating positive behaviour change towards prevention of malaria. I am sure that can help us get to the desired 5 per 1000 rate. We also appeal to ZAPIM to extend CAC to the remaining 8 facilities in the district to ensure a whole district approach in combating malaria.”

l Blessing Munkuli is Binga District Information Officer and is reachable on [email protected]