Experts call for more effort in fight against Malaria
Even amidst investment and an action plan costed at Shs 1.2 billion, Uganda is among the 10 countries in Sub Saharan Africa Battling with high malaria prevalence accounting for 3.5 million deaths annually.
The statistics have not spared Uganda either with the ministry of Health Malaria Audit reporting 13 deaths a week and over 600 deaths a year due to Malaria.
The World Health Organisation is contemplating rolling out vaccination against Malaria but reservations persist.
According to WHO while there where 20 million less malaria cases worldwide in 2017 compared to 2010 there is no significant progress in reducing global malaria cases.
Fifteen countries in sub-Saharan Africa and India carried almost 80% of the global malaria burden but five countries accounted for nearly half of all malaria cases worldwide: Nigeria (25%), Democratic Republic of the Congo (11%), Mozambique (5%), India (4%) and Uganda (4%).
This amidst global demands to end Malaria.
"By 2020 there should be no deaths due to malaria across the globe and malaria should be eliminated by 2030," said Dr Bayo Fatunmbi a Malaria expert.
Dr Jimmy Opigo, the programs Manager Malaria Control Program, said the Malaria audit in Uganda recorded 13 deaths week.
He said children under five have not been spared because their immunity is low, and of late there is a twist since we are also recording children 12 years and above succumbing to malaria often characterised by kidney failure.
To halve these deaths Uganda, Democratic Republic of Congo, Mozambique, India and Nigeria, Madagascar and India are to roll out a malaria High Burden Impact response plan designed by the World Health Organization
The report will accelerate efforts to increase domestic and private sector resource mobilization as well as secure and align resources
Among the interventions to curb malaria, WHO had banked on the Malaria vaccination dubbed RTS/S/AS01 which was piloted in Malawi, Ghana and Kenya.
Yet so far, the results have not been promising because the vaccine has not been able to achieve a minimum of 70% protection.
