S. Sudan says its winning malaria fight
April 25, 2013 (JUBA/KHARTOUM) – South Sudan joined in global commemorations on Wednesday marking World Malaria Day, with the government saying it was confident of eradicating the killer disease.
Speaking at the Nyakuron Cultural Centre in Juba, where hundreds of people gathered to observe the day, South Sudan’s health minister, Michael Milly Hussein, said the government was committed to curbing the epidemic.
UN agencies and other partners joined the government to commemorate the day under the theme, “Invest in the future: Defeat malaria”.
Insecticide-treated bed nets remain the most effective prevention available against the disease, which is carried by mosquitoes.
“It is a huge burden on South Sudan … It’s a leading cause of death, especially for children under five years of age and it really aggravates the burden of malnutrition that women and children are facing,” said UNICEF country representative Dr Yasmine Haque.
While acknowledging efforts made so far in fighting malaria, Haque noted that serious challenges still remained.
Dr Abdi Mohamed, head of the World Health Organisation (WHO) in South Sudan, said WHO would provide about 1.8 billion doses of anti-malarial drugs to all 10 states of the country this year.
A three-day free malaria testing and treatment campaign supported by WHO at a health facility in Juba recorded 200 infections out of a total 700 people tested.
Commemorations marking the global day in Juba included performances by local artists to increase awareness and promote basic, but effective methods of preventing and treating the disease.
In neighbouring Sudan malaria also remains a major public health issue, accounting for one-fifth of all hospital deaths, says the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).
The country is hit by an estimated 50% of all malaria cases in the WHO’s Eastern Mediterranean region survey, with an estimated 7.5 million cases resulting in 35,000 deaths per year.
The UNDP says it is working to build on a number of existing disease management activities, with the aim to move away from clinical, symptom-based treatment; to test-based treatment by introducing the use of rapid diagnosis test kits, preventing malaria during pregnancy through distribution of bed nets and capacity building of national institutions. Another aspect of the project is to unify and standardise the practices of all NGOs working in the field of malaria control in Sudan according to the national framework.
In a statement to commemorate the day, UN secretary-general Ban Ki-Moon said malaria continued to inflict a major toll on least developed countries, primarily in Africa, where millions of people lack access to life-saving interventions.
According to the WHO, an estimated 219 million cases of malaria occur annually, making it the world’s most widespread infection. The disease results in some 660,000 deaths each year, mostly in children under the age of five.
World Malaria Day was established by WHO member states at the 2007 world health assembly and has since been marked annually on 25 April as part of global efforts to highlight the need for continued investment and sustained political commitment for malaria prevention and control.
(ST)