By JOHN KOMBE
CHONGWE District Commissioner, Evans Lupiya has called on the community to actively participate in the fight against malaria.
Mr. Lupiya made the observation during the commemoration of the SADCC malaria week yesterday at Chainda clinic in Chongwe.
This year’s commemoration was held under the theme “Community involvement is key to achieving zero malaria.”
Mr. Lupiya said that the community must take the preventive and curative measures seriously. He said that interventions such as the use of treated mosquito nets and indoor residual spray must be embraced by all if malaria was to be eradicated.
He also urged the community to support malaria intervention activities such as the indoor residual spray. He said that indoor residual spray operators must be welcomed by households because they were carrying out a service for the community’s well-being.
Mr. Lupiya said that the community must not shun such interventions because they were meant to safeguard their health.
He said that malaria had far reaching negative effects that disrupt economic activities both at household and community levels.
And Chongwe mayor, Christopher Habeenzu pointed out that the fight against malaria called for the participation of traditional leaders and the Church.
He said that the traditional leadership was a key stakeholder in interventions that were targeted at their subjects.
Lusaka Province health director Consty Mwale said the country recorded 2.9 million cases of malaria by April this year compared to 7.6 million cases recorded in 2020.
Dr. Mwale said despite a recording significant reduction this year, four people die from the disease everyday which translates to over 1, 500 malaria deaths per year.
And World Health Organisation country representative Nathan Bakyaita said the organisation recognises the efforts and achievements made by Ministry of Health through the National Malaria Elimination programme to implement the malaria elimination strategic plan for 2017-2021 despite the negative impacts presented by the Covid-19 pandemic on the country.
