Govt to distribute 9.2 million nets to prevent Malaria
President Lazarus Chakwera says his administration plans to distribute 9,258,645 mosquito nets in 25 districts and do indoor residual spraying in the four districts of Nkhatabay, Nkhota-kota, Balaka and Mangochi to prevent Malaria.
Chakwera was speaking in Machinga today afternoon at the launch of the Zero Malaria Starts with Me Campaign.
Malawi plans to eradicate Malaria by 2030.
However, President Chakwera said for this to be achieved, “everyone must sleep under mosquito nets every day and all year round.”
The president described mosquito nets as a key weapon in the war against Malaria.
He said: “Currently, only 55 percent of Malawians sleep under mosquito nets, and we need to get to 100 percent if we are going to prevail against Malaria. We cannot win our battle to create a Zero Malaria Malawi if we continue to entertain misconceptions about Malaria.”
According to the most recent data, Malaria contributes 36% of all Out-Patient Department (OPD) cases and 15% of all admissions in Malawi.
The president said this creates a lot of work for health workers and pressure on drugs in public health facilities.
Additionally, malaria remains the leading cause of death in Malawi, claiming six lives every day. Last year alone, the country registered 6.9 million cases of malaria and lost 2500 lives, more than any other disease, including Covid-19.
“We cannot allow this darkness to snuff out the flame of our hope in a bright future. We cannot allow the disease, death, and despair Malaria has caused to rob us of a better tomorrow. That is why we are devoting ourselves to this bold target of a Malaria-Free Malawi by 2030,” said Chakwera.
