Zambian Health Minister, Sylvia Masebo, has stated on Monday that despite efforts to combat Malaria, it remains a significant health issue in the country.
The health minister highlighted a 37% increase in malaria cases from 8.1 million to 11.1 million in 2023, along with a rise in malaria-related deaths from 1,343 to 1,602 during the same period.
Masebo provided these updates in a briefing preceding World Malaria Day on April 25th.
“Every day, 30,400 of our people get infected with malaria, and four people die of malaria,” Ms Masebo said.
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Ms Masebo said that 18 per cent of the infections were in children under the age of 5 years, and 1 per cent were pregnant women.
She said that despite the gloomy picture; Zambia has an opportunity to change the situation through collaborative efforts with stakeholders.
The minister said that in addressing malaria, the government distributed more than 11.6 million insecticide-treated mosquito nets across the country, while 742,057 eligible structures had been sprayed through an in-door spraying program.
She added that the government continued to strengthen community systems through training and empowering community health workers and other community-based volunteers.
(Xinhua/NAN)