A recent report by the World Health Organisation indicates that the number of people who die as a result of malaria reduced by more than half in Africa between 2000 and 2013. The report also cites a 5 per cent reduction in mortality between 2012 and last year, implying that global and national efforts to combat the mainly tropical disease were effective. About 198 million cases of malaria are registered globally and an estimated 584,000 deaths existed in 2013. Most of them occur among children living in Africa whereby estimates indicate a child dying every minute from the disease. However, these mortality rates among children in Africa have been reduced by an estimated 58 per cent since 2000. Globally, mortality fell by 47 per cent between 2000 and 2013, revealing a slight increase from 42 per cent between 2000 and 2012. Dr Corine Karema, the head of malaria and other parasitic diseases at the Rwanda Biomedical Centre, said efforts are under way to eliminate malaria in the country by 2018. And around 83 per cent of Rwandan households have treated mosquito nets. The government targets at least one mosquito net per two people. The supply of mosquito nets used to be done once in three years but it will now be done every two years because in three years, a mosquito net has already lost its efficacy. Malaria transmission in Rwanda occurs year-round with two peaks from May to June and November to December. Meanwhile, youth have been urged to avoid vices that could endanger their lives, including abusing drugs and engaging in early or unprotected sex. This message was delivered during a sensitisation campaign on the prevention of HIV/Aids and dangers of drug abuse in Ndora Sector, Gisagara District on Saturday. Gisagara mayor Leandre Karekezi told the youth that engaging in risky behaviour such as drug abuse, premature or unprotected sex would cause them troubles and land them in difficulties that would worsen their living conditions. Elsewhere in the Ebola scourge, Sierra Leonean lead doctor Victor Willoughby became the 11th doctor in the country to contract the disease. He succumbed to the haemorrhagic fever onon Thursday, hours after the arrival of the experimental drug ZMapp in Sierra Leone. ZMapp, which was developed in Canada, has been credited with helping several patients recover, including two US doctors. WHO says Ebola has killed more than 7,300 people this year in West Africa, and more than 2,470 deaths have occurred in Sierra Leone. Healthcare workers are among those most at risk of catching the world’s deadliest virus.
