By Ibrahim SorieKoroma, Health Education Officer –HED/MoHS
The Ministry of Health and Sanitation in collaboration with its partners last week Friday launched World
Malaria Day Commemorationat the open view of the National Stadium in Freetown. World Malaria Day is globally celebrated on April 25th each year to raise awareness on malaria. The theme for this year’s celebration is “Zero Malaria – Draw the Line Against Malaria” because every malaria case is preventable and every malaria death is unacceptable.
The Honorable Deputy Minister of Health and Sanitation 1, Dr. Anthony Sandi who gave the key note address and launched the Sierra Leone National Malaria Elimination Strategic Plan noted thatMalaria is already a disease burden in the country and it’s endemic. He continued that Malaria is the leading cause of death in Sierra Leone, especially in children under-fives and pregnant women. “All efforts to eradicate malaria cannot be taken lightly” stressed Dr. Sandi.
The Hon. Ministry recalls that some few years ago, people in remote communities misuse the utilization of treated insecticide mosquito net, but however noted that that has changed with increased awareness raising efforts by the Ministry of health and its partners. He also stated that people used to attributethe cause of malaria to myths and misconceptions like sucking oranges, drinking beer but was however happy for the gradual change in behavior by communities. He advised that though there is increased knowledge on malaria, but acquired knowledge on the disease should be backed with practice to end malaria in the country.
He further stated that there a lot of gains already made in the fight against Malaria, but there are challenge and the disease still claims the lives of people, especially children under-fives and pregnant women. Dr. Sandi calls for more efforts to combat the disease.He added that one of the best methods to combat malaria is diagnosis, treatment and prevention.Dr. Sandi appreciated the efforts of partners and called for more support and called urged community stakeholders to own the fight against malaria as it affects everyone and it effects is felt by every development sector.
According to a message of the World Health Organization Regional Director for Africa, Dr. MatshidisoMoetigrievously writes that they in 2020 alone they recorded a preventable death of 384,000 in the WHO Africa Region, Sierra Leone inclusive. He continue to write that despite the great progress made in malaria response, the Region accounted for 94% of both the 229 million cases and 409,000 malaria deaths reported globally in 2019.
He reiterated that between 2000 and 2019, malaria incidence declined by 29% and deaths by 60%. More than 1.2 billion cases and 7.1 million deaths were averted in the region. Countries like Cape Verde, the Gambia, Ethiopia, Ghana, Namibia, South Africa and Botswana have been certified malaria free. Sierra Leon can also achieve this with gains already made and increased support and community participation.
In his remarks, the US Ambassador to Sierra Leone, David Reimer reference the last Malaria Indicator Surrey showing a disease prevalence of 40% among children and malaria accounts for 47% of clinic visitation of children and responsible for 38% of all hospitalized patients, killing 18% of those hospitalized.
The US Ambassador referenced that in 2017, Sierra Leone was selected to benefit from the United States President’s Malaria Initiative (PMI), led by the US Agency for International Development (USAID) and Implementation together with the US Centers for Diseases Prevention and Control (CDC) to which the US Government has invested $ 60 million over the past 4 years to prevent and treat malaria in the country. “During that period we have delivered more than 3 million bed nets, 2.5 million Rapid Diagnostic Tests (RDTs) and 2 million doses of fast-acting treatment for malaria”. added the US Ambassador.
He assured that they were going to continue their support to the fight against malaria and they and the Ministry of Health were going to launch the Indoor Residual Spraying (IDR) which is a new malaria preventive intervention to be piloted in BO and Bombali districts.
