Chronicle Editor
Thandeka Moyo-Ndlovu
ABOUT 72 people have succumbed to malaria in Zimbabwe since the beginning of 2023 and cumulative reported cases now stand at 42 020.
Malaria is an acute illness caused by parasites spread to people through bites of infected female Anopheles mosquitoes. It is preventable and curable.
On Tuesday, Zimbabwe joined other countries to commemorate World Malaria Day under the theme: “Time to deliver Zero Malaria: Invest, Innovate, Implement”
According to the latest World Malaria report, published in December 2022, malaria claimed the lives of an estimated 619 000 people in 2021, compared to 625 000 in 2020. There were some 247 million new cases of malaria in 2021 compared to 245 million in 2020.
The Ministry of Health and Child Care weekly report ending April 13 shows that children under five remain one of the most affected groups.
“The Weekly Disease Surveillance Report for the week ending 13 of April 2023 shows that 4 749 malaria cases and 6 deaths were reported in Zimbabwe. The six deaths were each reported from Binga, Kwekwe, Mudzi and Harare. Two of the deaths were recorded from Rushinga,” read the report.
“Of the reported cases, 543 were under the age of five during the same week. The Province that reported the highest number of cases was Mashonaland Central Province (1 838).
“Zimbabwe, however, celebrates a significant decline in malaria cases and deaths as malaria cases have declined by 68,6 percent from 447 381 cases in 2020 to 140 170 in 2022 and deaths declined by nearly 55,5 percent from 400.”
The Ministry also states even though Zimbabwe recorded a decrease in malaria cases, there is a need to double efforts to reach out to all vulnerable populations in need of services to end malaria.
The World Health Organisation African Region continues to shoulder the heaviest burden of the disease – accounting, in 2021, for an estimated 95 percent of all malaria cases (234 million) and 96 percent of all deaths (593 000).
Nearly 80 percent of malaria deaths in the African Region were among children under the age of five.
“Some people are more susceptible to developing severe malaria than others. Infants and children under 5 years of age, pregnant women and patients with HIV/AIDS are at particular risk. Other vulnerable groups include people entering areas with intense malaria transmission who have not acquired partial immunity from long exposure to the disease, or who are not taking chemo-preventive therapies, such as migrants, mobile populations and travellers,” said WHO.
“Some people in areas where malaria is common will develop partial immunity. While it never provides complete protection, partial immunity reduces the risk that malaria infection will cause severe disease.
“For this reason, most malaria deaths in Africa occur in young children, whereas in areas with less transmission and low immunity, all age groups are at risk.”
Signs and symptoms of severe malaria include jaundice in white palms which is a sign of anaemia; very high temperature, severe body weakness (unable to sit, passing very little Coca-Cola-coloured urine or not passing urine at all and severe vomiting.
Malaria is a preventable and treatable disease that continues to have a devastating impact on the health and livelihood of people around the world.
Zimbabwe uses IRS as the major malaria control strategy to prevent malaria and this has helped to protect an average of 3,3 million people from malaria each year. Between 2010 and 2021, more than 7 million nets have been distributed across the country.
Online Reporter