Malaria deaths drop 67 percent

Patrick Chitumba Midlands Bureau Chief
THE country’s malaria mortality rate has decreased by 67 percent in the past decade as Zimbabwe moves towards eradicating the disease.

Addressing villagers and government officials at the annual provincial belated World Malaria Day commemorations at Maboleni Primary School in Lower Gweru on Friday, Midlands Provincial Affairs Minister, Cde Jason Machaya said it was possible to eradicate malaria in the country.

“According to the World Health Organisation report on Zimbabwe 2014, malaria mortality has decreased by 67 percent in the past decade, with thousands of lives saved since the inception of the malaria control programme in Zimbabwe. Between 2000 and 2015, Zimbabwe reduced malaria cases by at least 75 percent,” he said.

World Malaria Day is commemorated on April 25 yearly.

Midlands Province joined the rest of the world and communities to showcase successes in malaria control.

Cde Machaya said it was important to build on the success of the past decade in order to completely eradicate malaria.

“Smart investments and strong partnerships have resulted in dramatic progress against malaria in the past 15 years,” he said.

Cde Machaya said Gweru was one of the six pre-elimination districts in the Midlands province.

“Gweru is closer to eradicating malaria,” he said.

Cde Machaya said although Gokwe North and Mberengwa still had a high number of cases, they had also made significant gains in malaria control hence the disease is no longer the leading cause of death in the districts.

Cde Machaya said eradicating malaria was critical to ending poverty and improving maternal and child health in the country.

He said fewer malaria cases mean healthier societies, increased attendance at school and work, more productive communities and a stronger economy.