Another malaria research center in Zambia

Talent Ng’andwe
26 February, 2010

Lusaka-Another malaria research center has been launched in Zambia’s copper belt province, Thursday, giving another boost to efforts by the southern African country to fight the killer disease.

Zambia has already made tremendous progress towards the fight against malaria, deaths reported from health facilities in Zambia have declined by 66 per cent. This result along with other supporting data indicates that Zambia has reached the 2010 Roll Back Malaria target of a more than 50 per cent reduction in malaria mortality compared to 2000.

The research center to be located in Ndola at the Tropical Diseases Research Center (TDRC), also called as the insectary will play an active role in the prevention and spread of malaria.

Director of TDRC, Modest Mulenga said the center will benefit malaria research activities in the country.

“This facility will greatly assist as far as making advances in the type of insecticides to use and learn more about different types of mosquitoes,” Mulenga said.

Zambia has another malaria research center at Macha in the southern part of the country.

The country has put up a very aggressive malaria control in Africa and it is on track not only to meet malaria targets but also to slash child deaths to Millennium Development Goal levels, according to WHO.

It is among the ten countries, where most people use insecticide-treated bednets and receive the correct treatment, have cut illness and deaths by half, says the WHO's 'World Malaria Report 2009.

The decline in Zambia was especially steep after 3.6 million long-lasting insecticidal nets were distributed between 2006 and 2008. During this period malaria deaths declined 47% and nationwide surveys showed parasite prevalence declined 53% from 21.8% to 10.2% and the percentage of children with severe anaemia declined 68% from 13.3% to 4.3%. Most moderate and severe anaemia in children is caused by malaria.

"This is a remarkable achievement and a tribute to the hard work and commitment of the Ministry of Health of Zambia and its partners to combat malaria," said Dr Luís Gomes Sambo, WHO Regional Director for Africa.

"As we celebrate World Malaria Day this week, I urge all countries affected by malaria to intensify and sustain malaria control and elimination efforts in order to meet the 2010 goal of 100% coverage."
But threats to of resistance to antimalarial drugs, in particular the potent anti-malarial artemisinin cannot be ignored.

Zambia’s Minister of health Kapembwa Simbao, said the Government of Zambia is committed to increasing coverage of key malaria control interventions and reducing the burden of malaria throughout the country.

"We will endeavour to continue to build on progress made and ensure that malaria control is addressed as part of a health systems strengthening effort to ensure that ACTs will reach all persons with suspected malaria thereby ensuring universal coverage," Simabo said.

Foreign mining companies operating in Zambia have been in the forefront in supporting the fight against malaria.