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Biting back on Malaria - Zimbabwe slashes cases of malaria with distribution of 400,000 nets
UNICEF
April 25, 2007

Harare – The number of malaria cases in Zimbabwe has dropped by 40% in the last two years, from three million to 1.8million last year, the Ministry of Health and Child Welfare and UNICEF has announced.

The success is a result of the Ministry and UNICEF distributing more than 400,000 long lasting insecticide treated nets (LLTN) across the country between 2004 and 2006.

In doing so, Zimbabwe has met the ambitious international Abuja target to ensure 60% of all under-five children in malarial zones sleep under an insecticide treated mosquito net.

At the beginning of 2005, less than 7% of Zimbabwe’s under-five children slept under mosquito nets in the country’s malarial zones. Two years later, and amid great economic challenges, that number has risen to 70%.

"This is a refreshing and timely piece of good news out of Zimbabwe," said UNICEF’s Representative in Zimbabwe, Dr Festo Kavishe. "If we are to make further inroads in reducing child mortality, then with Government we must work towards 90% coverage by the end of 2007, maintain our strong work in immunization, and ensure greater access to anti-retrovirals for children."

Until recently malaria remained a leading cause of child mortality in Zimbabwe. It also contributed to 15% of admitted patients to all public health facilities across the country.

Much of the success is due to donors who have supported UNICEF’s drive to reduce malaria. Since 2004, and with the support of the Japanese and Norwegian Governments, and the UK’s Department of International Development (DFID), UNICEF has spent more than US$5million on malaria control and prevention.

"Malaria is a preventable and treatable disease and we are very grateful for the support the international community has given," said UNICEF’s Head of Health Dr Colleta Kibassa. "These successes remind us of the simple adage – sleeping under an insecticide treated net saves lives."

The donor funds have enabled Zimbabwe to vigorously combat malaria through a combination of: preventive vector control, use of insecticide treated nets, indoor residual spraying, and effective malaria treatment. Communities have also been at forefront in efforts to roll back malaria, training advocates to spread the word about malaria prevention, learning how to re-treat mosquito nets, and sewing their own mosquito nets.

Half of Zimbabwe’s population lives in malaria prone areas and past efforts to control malaria have encountered serious challenges due to the increasing cost of antimalarials and the parasite’s increased resistance to the drugs.

"Malaria not only kills, it also damages productivity and halts development," said the head of DFID in Zimbabwe, John Barrett. "A malaria-stricken family spends an average of over one quarter of its income on treatment. Thus malaria has far reaching effects on health and economic productivity. Through UNICEF we have saved lives and assisted development."

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