Govt battles malaria burden
The health ministry yesterday said it was pulling out all the stops to contain a malaria outbreak in northern Namibia.
However, health minister Bernard Haufiku said more efforts were needed to curb the life-threatening disease.
More than 7 000 cases were reported in January and February alone, while 15 people have died from malaria since the beginning of the year.
The health ministry yesterday launched its official malaria response campaign following an unprecedented outbreak of the disease.
Haufiku appealed to business owners to support the campaign, which will cost the government at least N$12 million. He said the Malaria Elimination 8 (E8) Secretariat had donated N$800 000 to the cause.
The Red Cross Society, Clinton Initiative, School of Medicine, Development Aid from People to People (DAPP) Namibia and Consult Care have also pledged support. He added the cabinet had approved a spraying campaign costing N$12.3 million. “The reality is we will need funds and I want to appeal to the business community for funds. Not only in the affected communities but throughout the country,” Haufiku urged.
A national task force has been formed to mobilise additional resources and fill regional gaps.
For this effort 61 nurses and 10 environmental health staff have been recruited from non-malaria regions, as well as nursing schools and other partner organisations.
“I am proud to deploy these individuals to the regions to provide much-needed relief to overburdened staff on the ground. We are working with the ministry of defence to deploy helicopters to ensure health workers reach people in need, especially where flooding prevents access,” Haufiku said.
The most affected areas are the Kavango East and West regions and Zambezi, where just over 6 000 cases have been reported. Malaria cases are being reported in the Ohangwena Region too.
Haufiku explained that regional teams supported by the national malaria programme's technical staff were currently deployed in the regions for an active outbreak response.
“We are not doing door-to-door visits. We have deployed volunteers in villages, nearby schools and community centres. However, if someone cannot make it to these points they will be visited at home. Our volunteers are moving with testing kits and thermometers and will be testing and treating people as they go,” he clarified.
He added that appropriate vector control to suppress the mosquito population would be brought to village level to ensure high coverage.
The campaign is expected to run for 60 days.
'Angola must do more'
Meanwhile, former health minister Richard Kamwi has implored the Angolan authorities to collaborate with their Namibian counterparts in order to fight malaria.
Kamwi, who is the African Union's Malaria Elimination 8 (E8) ambassador, said the current malaria outbreak was indicative of a lack of cooperation with Angolan authorities in the fight against malaria.
According to Kamwi, regions bordering Angola and Zambia recorded high numbers of malaria cases and deaths.
“In my capacity as Africa CDC champion and as E8 ambassador, I want to urge the two health ministers to work together. Our minister is very cooperative and is doing his best to assist his counterpart.
“I want to encourage the authorities in Angola to work together with our health minister. If they work together, I can assure you that the two nations will eliminate malaria. If they are not working together, the current situation will continue and we will lose lives,” Kamwi said.
He said during his tenure as minister of health more than 40% of malaria patients treated in Namibia were Angolans.
“My relationship with Dr José Vieira Dias Van-Dúnem (former Angolan health minister) was working very well,” he said.
“I used to invite him to Namibia and introduced him to our malaria programmes and I also used to visit Angola. Unfortunately when I left the ministry he also left a year later and that time there were no spraying programmes under way. I know my successor is trying his best to create a good relationship with the current Angolan health minister,” Kamwi said.
However, health minister Bernard Haufiku said more efforts were needed to curb the life-threatening disease.
More than 7 000 cases were reported in January and February alone, while 15 people have died from malaria since the beginning of the year.
The health ministry yesterday launched its official malaria response campaign following an unprecedented outbreak of the disease.
Haufiku appealed to business owners to support the campaign, which will cost the government at least N$12 million. He said the Malaria Elimination 8 (E8) Secretariat had donated N$800 000 to the cause.
The Red Cross Society, Clinton Initiative, School of Medicine, Development Aid from People to People (DAPP) Namibia and Consult Care have also pledged support. He added the cabinet had approved a spraying campaign costing N$12.3 million. “The reality is we will need funds and I want to appeal to the business community for funds. Not only in the affected communities but throughout the country,” Haufiku urged.
A national task force has been formed to mobilise additional resources and fill regional gaps.
For this effort 61 nurses and 10 environmental health staff have been recruited from non-malaria regions, as well as nursing schools and other partner organisations.
“I am proud to deploy these individuals to the regions to provide much-needed relief to overburdened staff on the ground. We are working with the ministry of defence to deploy helicopters to ensure health workers reach people in need, especially where flooding prevents access,” Haufiku said.
The most affected areas are the Kavango East and West regions and Zambezi, where just over 6 000 cases have been reported. Malaria cases are being reported in the Ohangwena Region too.
Haufiku explained that regional teams supported by the national malaria programme's technical staff were currently deployed in the regions for an active outbreak response.
“We are not doing door-to-door visits. We have deployed volunteers in villages, nearby schools and community centres. However, if someone cannot make it to these points they will be visited at home. Our volunteers are moving with testing kits and thermometers and will be testing and treating people as they go,” he clarified.
He added that appropriate vector control to suppress the mosquito population would be brought to village level to ensure high coverage.
The campaign is expected to run for 60 days.
'Angola must do more'
Meanwhile, former health minister Richard Kamwi has implored the Angolan authorities to collaborate with their Namibian counterparts in order to fight malaria.
Kamwi, who is the African Union's Malaria Elimination 8 (E8) ambassador, said the current malaria outbreak was indicative of a lack of cooperation with Angolan authorities in the fight against malaria.
According to Kamwi, regions bordering Angola and Zambia recorded high numbers of malaria cases and deaths.
“In my capacity as Africa CDC champion and as E8 ambassador, I want to urge the two health ministers to work together. Our minister is very cooperative and is doing his best to assist his counterpart.
“I want to encourage the authorities in Angola to work together with our health minister. If they work together, I can assure you that the two nations will eliminate malaria. If they are not working together, the current situation will continue and we will lose lives,” Kamwi said.
He said during his tenure as minister of health more than 40% of malaria patients treated in Namibia were Angolans.
“My relationship with Dr José Vieira Dias Van-Dúnem (former Angolan health minister) was working very well,” he said.
“I used to invite him to Namibia and introduced him to our malaria programmes and I also used to visit Angola. Unfortunately when I left the ministry he also left a year later and that time there were no spraying programmes under way. I know my successor is trying his best to create a good relationship with the current Angolan health minister,” Kamwi said.
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