Rwanda has recorded a drastic decline in the number of Malaria deaths in the month of March dropping to 20 percent among adults and 5 percent in children below five years.
Ministry of health statistics indicate that the deaths declined from approx. 75 percent in January, 2016 in adults and 18 percent among children below 5 years after recording a decline in May of 15 percent and 3 percent in May in adults and children below five years respectively.
While the country’s Malaria proportion morbidity rate declined 13.5 in March, 2016 after a higher increase in December, 2015 by 29.1 percent and higher than 12.2 percent in December, 2013.
For many years, Dr. Corine Karema, Malaria and other Parasitic Diseases Division at Rwanda biomedical Centre-RBC in the Ministry of Health- Rwanda says malaria has been leading cause of morbidity and mortality in the country, but says image is changing.
“Improved coverage of key malaria control interventions have shown to decrease Malaria cases and deaths,” she said while commenting on national figures on malaria on Friday.
The Ministry says that although the cases recorded a decline in March this year, there are still like hood of an increase due to climate changes and resistance of mosquitos to insecticides.
“For example, mosquitos’ resistance to Pyrethroids (insecticide) has been growing since 2010,” Dr Karema noted.
Brig. Gen. Emmanuel Ndahiro, the commandant of Rwanda Military Hospital noted there is need for more efforts to fight malaria with a focus on its elimination
“This is a global issue; Rwanda is the least affected in this insurgency,” he said during a one day malaria symposium on Friday organized by the hospital.
Under the Rwanda Malaria strategic Plan 2013 to 2018, the government plans to have at least 90 percent of the population at risk effectively protected, malaria morbidity to 5 percent by 2018.
