Int’l conference on malaria opens in Kigali

The World Health Organisation (WHO) has requested Rwanda to put more emphasis on cross-border transmission or infections as it intensifies its fight against malaria.The remarks were echoed yesterday at the opening of three-day Malaria Forum in Kigali under the theme; “How to sustain achievement and get zero malaria deaths in Rwanda”. A WHO representative, Dr Abraham Mnzavaa, asked Rwanda to emulate countries that have completely eradicated the killer disease. “There is need for cross-border screening, if possible, from neighbouring countries to decrease the import of infections,” he said. According to statistics from the Ministry of Health, the ten districts bordering neighbouring countries have a higher prevalence of the disease compared to the rest, thereby hampering the progress made in combating it.Dr Mnzavaa also called for both political and financial commitment if countries are to eliminate malaria.“Complacency, lack of political commitment, and a tendency to withdraw resources for malaria, will fall short of its successful elimination. There is a need to strengthen capacity on surveillance so that cases are picked up, treated and reported rapidly (T3)” he stated.He asked countries to mobilise their own funds as there was shortage of funds from various organizations funding malaria programmes.Country Coordinator of Roll Back Malaria Partnership (RBM), Dr James Banda, asked countries to devise a comprehensive advocacy strategy aimed at emphasising the importance of maintaining support for sustained control efforts at international, regional and national levels.“Ensure accountability and a sustained interest. It will be important to track the use of funds, monitor the performance and establish clear reporting mechanisms both within the RBM Partnership and to donors within and outside the RBM Partnership. A good tracking mechanism will enable a detailed prioritisation of spending of available funds for partnership activities” he said.Although Rwanda made significant progress in the fight against malaria, there are stumbling blocks to more progress. The head of Malaria and other parasitic diseases at Rwanda Biomedical Centre, Dr Corine Karema, said there was neither private sector involvement, nor regional harmonisation in malaria control interventions.“It is important to note that there are, however, provincial and district variations on gains in malaria control, especially in the Eastern Province, and in districts located at the borders of neighbouring countries,” she noted.She added that the malaria burden in the country has transitioned from a nationwide phenomenon to become focalised in five high malaria burden districts, which coincidentally border highly malaria endemic neighbouring countries.The said districts account for 70 per cent of malaria burden and skew the national malaria test positivity rate (TPRs).

National

Int’l conference on malaria opens in Kigali