RBM sees potential for surge in malaria cases, deaths in Zimbabwe
from Afrique en ligne
LUSAKA, Zambia-The Roll Back Malaria (RBM) Partnership has warned that the potential for malaria epidemics in Zimbabwe this year is very high because health teams were diverted to control the cholera outbreak, among other factors.
RBM, a global public-private partnership for the fight against malaria, launched 10 years ago by World Health Organisation (WHO), United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the World Bank, says at least 1.63 million people are at higher risk.
Zimbabwe is a malaria epidemic-prone country with approximately 60 per cent of the population of 12 million people at risk.
According to the RBM partnership, in 2006, 1,547,177 clinical malaria cases and 1,035 deaths due to malaria were officially reported.
"Malaria in Zimbabwe has normally been fairly well controlled with the intervent ions. For example, in the 2007-2008 malaria tramission season. 322,278 households (representing over 1.6 million people) were covered by RBM. In the current transmission season, IRS has not taken place, leaving at least 1.63 million people at
higher risk," Herve Verhoosel, external relations manager of the Roll Back Malaria Partnership, said in a statement.
Other factors attributed to the potential for high number of malaria cases this year in Zimbabwe include current heavy rains which make the proliferation of mosquitoes more likely and former malaria control success which has left the population with low immunity and thereby particularly vulnerable to outbreaks.
"In addition, the surveillance system which helped to monitor and control epidemics has broken down throughout much of the country. Large malaria outbreaks could thus take hold rapidly and claim many victims before necessary steps can be put in place to halt the spread of the disease," Verhoosel added.
http://www.panapress.com/RBM-sees-potential-for-surge-in-malaria-cases,-deaths-in-Zimbabwe--13-521883-17-lang1-index.html