Malaria continues to claim lives amid COVID-19 – Ministry receives medicine boost from regional partner to eliminate malaria
The Health Ministry received a consignment of 10,000 units of first-line antimalarial medicines from the regional partnership to eliminate malaria, the SADC Elimination 8 on Thursday.
The Minister of Health and Social Services, Kalumbi Shangula on behalf of the government received the consignment and extended gratitude towards the SADC Elimination 8 Secretariat for donation.
According to Shangula, while all current efforts are concentrated on COVID-19, Malaria has caused 11,598 illness and 32 deaths, in the past few months
“Namibia is experiencing an upsurge of malaria cases since the beginning of malaria season in December 2019, with the most affected regions of Kavango East and West, Zambezi and Ohangwena out of the 14 regions,” he said.
Shangula said the consignment has been expedited as an emergency procurement following our appeal after running low of anti-malarial medicines.
“The donation of this critical medicine is going towards the fight against malaria, preventing deaths and suffering. We commit to distributing this medicine to all affected regions,” he added.
“We take great pride in our efforts and with your assistance, we will continue to curb the local malaria transmission till Namibia obtains a malaria-free status,” he said.
Meanwhile, Shangula said during the COVID-19 pandemic, the malaria community in Namibia and throughout the region must remain committed to supporting the prevention of malaria infection, illness, and deaths through preventive and case management services, while maintaining a safe environment for patients, clients and staff.
Southern African Elimination 8 anti-malaria ambassador and former Health Minister said both COVID-19 and malaria are deadly and need to be treated with persistence.
