Malaria kills 122 as disease resurges

Malaria has claimed 122 lives and hospitalised almost 10 000 people this year, health minister Dr Esperance Luvindao said this week, with more than 122 000 confirmed cases so far.

"The statistics we face today are a stark reminder that the outbreak has not receded,” Luvindao said during the launch of the 2026 indoor residual spraying (IRS) campaign in Divundu, Kavango East region, on Wednesday.

With the high numbers recorded this year, Luvindao said the country could no longer afford a “business-as-usual approach” to malaria.

She said 81% of confirmed cases were locally transmitted, totalling 99 078 cases, while 19% arrived from across borders, translating to 23 354 cases.

The country also recorded 9 956 hospital admissions due to malaria. The figures come as Namibia faces a heightened malaria outbreak, with Luvindao warning that the situation requires urgent and coordinated action.

Kavango East is among the regions carrying a particularly heavy burden.

The health minister said the region recorded 37 488 malaria cases, representing 30.6% of the national total, and 22 malaria-related deaths, accounting for 18% of the country’s total malaria mortality.

Luvindao said malaria remains endemic in 10 of Namibia’s 14 regions, including Zambezi, Kavango East, Kavango West, Ohangwena, Omusati, Oshana, Kunene, Oshikoto, Omaheke and Otjozondjupa.

Stepping up

While acknowledging the work done over the years to combat the disease, she said more is needed to reverse the current outbreak and achieve the country's vision of zero malaria.

The minister said a recent external validation and mid-term review of the national malaria programme found that the country still has a strong technical foundation, including routine surveillance and effective malaria diagnosis. However, the review found that progress towards malaria elimination had recently regressed, resulting in the resurgence in cases, hospital admissions and deaths.

Among the key challenges identified was consistently low indoor residual spraying coverage, which has remained below the 85% minimum target set by the World Health Organisation.

Weaknesses were also identified in the deployment of long-lasting insecticidal nets, larval source management and entomological monitoring. In response, the ministry has recalibrated its 2026 strategy to strengthen planning, improve the use of surveillance data and enhance targeted responses in areas with a high malaria burden.

Government is also strengthening the role of community health workers in testing and treating malaria and improving cross-border collaboration to address imported cases, particularly through cooperation with Angola, Zambia and Botswana.

Zero target

The 2026 IRS campaign is being implemented under the national theme 'Together for 85% Coverage. Together for Zero Malaria', with the aim of achieving the national minimum IRS coverage target of 85%.

Community mobilisation began on Wednesday and will continue until 13 September, while the actual spraying campaign will run from 14 September to 27 November, targeting 1.2 million households across malaria-endemic regions.

Luvindao urged communities to allow spray teams into their homes, use long-lasting insecticidal-treated nets every night and seek immediate medical testing when experiencing symptoms such as fever, chills or headaches.

She also urged people who are diagnosed with malaria to complete their treatment to help prevent recurrence and transmission.