Lusaka – Zambia has been hailed in malaria control during a meeting of health experts drawn accross Africa,held (March 10-12)in the Ghanaian capital Accra.
The United Against Malaria (UAM) conference heard that Zambia as become a global leader in malaria control.
Pauline Wamulume,principal information officer of the National Malaria Control,however cautioned that the mineral rich southern African nation would not become complacent in its efforts.
“Now is not the time to back down but to keep the pressure on. By doing so we are confident that we will win the fight against malaria,” said Ms Wamulume, who outlined the National Malaria Control Centre’s plans to raise awareness surrounding World Malaria Day in April.
She joined professionals from eleven African countries, who met to discuss progress and strategy for the United Against Malaria campaign.
In Zambia, work is progressing on a television public service announcement, while corporate partner Manzi Valley is soon to publish the latest in a series of children’s colouring books, featuring the campaign.
There are events planned for World Malaria Day on April 25, and a number of other initiatives are in the pipeline.
United Against Malaria leverages the energy and passion of football to communicate important messages about the treatment and prevention of malaria, driving Zambia’s goal of reaching the 2010 target of universal access to treated bednets and malaria medicine, a crucial first step to reaching the international target of reducing deaths to near zero by 2015.
Among those backing the campaign are Zambia national soccer team players,international footballing legend David Beckham and some local companies.
United Against Malaria’s pioneering approach has drawn from football for its inspiration, believing that teamwork is the key to success.Zambia's health minister Kapembwa Simbao launched the campaign last year.
United Against Malaria is being launched in countries across Africa in the run-up to next year’s World Cup in South Africa. Global partners include the Gates Foundation with support from the United Nations Foundation, Roll Back Malaria Partnership, the One Campaign, Malaria No More, PATH, PSI, John Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and Comic Relief.
Malaria is endemic in all nine provinces of Zambia, accounting for around a third of all hospital visits and having a major impact on families, the economy and the health system.
The government has made malaria prevention and control a national priority and has intensified its scale-up of interventions in recent years.
Over seven million insecticide-treated bednets (ITN), one of the best methods to prevent malaria, have been distributed nationwide. Indoor residual spraying (IRS) is now conducted in half of Zambia’s 72 districts.
Through these interventions, as well as nationwide access to testing and treatment, Zambia has recorded remarkable progress reducing the burden of malaria.
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