South Sudan and partners sign agreement to fight Malaria
March 13, 2013 (JUBA) – South Sudan and several international partners have signed an agreement which recommits them to the fight and control of malaria in the new country by 2018.
The five-year program, spearheaded by the ministry of health, has also reviewed the policies and programming framework within the context of the health system and the national development agenda in the country.
The agreement, which involves the World Bank, United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and United Nations agencies, aims to implement a comprehensive Malaria control strategy, calling on both the government and partners to scale up malaria interventions including community-based initiatives.
South Sudan’s vice-president Riek Machar Teny, signed the agreement on behalf of the government during a ceremony organised on Tuesday in Juba by the minister of health, Michael Milly Hussein.
In his remarks, Machar urged the health institutions in the country and their counterparts to continue carrying out researches on how best to control malaria in South Sudan. He called on the concerned institutions to initiate establishment of a research oriented centre for malaria control.
Minister of health, Michael Milly Hussein, said Malaria is impacting negatively on the economy of the country as it is the leading cause of death and paralyses the workforce.
Malaria constitutes 25% of all deaths related to diseases in South Sudan despite the ministry’s prevention effort, which distributed 8 million mosquito nets across the country.
His ministry, he added, was conducting research on different ways to eradicate malaria in South Sudan.
(ST)