Southern Sudan launches malaria prevention campaign

May 4, 2006 (NAIROBI) — The Government of Southern Sudan in conjunction with the NGO Population Services International (PSI) last week launched a malaria prevention campaign.

The campaign was launched on Saturday, World Malaria Day, and will provide information on preventive measures and early diagnosis of the killer disease.

PSI-Sudan’s Malaria Technical Advisor, Irene Abdou, told Sudan radio service (SRS) up to 110 southern Sudanese pregnant women and children aged under five die every day from malaria.

She encouraged the use of insecticide-treated mosquito nets and promised to distribute some mosquito nets during the campaign, particularly in the rural areas of southern Sudan, over the next several days.

The World Health Organization’s representative in Juba, Dr. Jilliani Mohamud, also advised people to drain all stagnant water, which acts as a breeding ground for malaria-carrying mosquitoes.

(SRS/ST)