Collective efforts against Malaria paying off

Editor, Information from the Ministry of Health shows that Rwanda topped the region in the implementation of Malaria roadmaps in East Africa, scoring 89 per cent followed by Kenya with 65 per cent.

Thursday, April 26, 2012
The campaign to make Rwanda a malaria - free nation is fruitful. The NewTimes File.

Editor,Information from the Ministry of Health shows that Rwanda topped the region in the implementation of Malaria roadmaps in East Africa, scoring 89 per cent followed by Kenya with 65 per cent.The roadmaps highlight proper diagnosis and effective malaria treatment, integrated management vector control, distribution of mosquito nets, indoor residue spraying, monitoring and evaluation, among others.The Director General of the Malaria Unit at Rwanda Biomedical Centre, Dr Corine Karema, also recently confirmed that the country is on track in the implementation of the roadmap activities to kick out Malaria.Malaria incidence has also reduced by 70 per cent in the recent past, and 82 per cent of the Rwandan population use mosquito nets. This is very encouraging news indeed. Sensitisation of all residents to use treated mosquito nets must continue. It is true that this reduction is as a result of scaling up of preventive measures, especially coverage and use of long lasting insecticidal nets (LLINs).I thank everybody who joined this campaign in an effort to make Rwanda a free-malaria nation.

Agnes BateteRulindo