By Kebba Ansu
Balla Kandeh, Program Manager, National Malaria Control Programme (NMCP) has disclosed that the country is on right footing to eliminate Malaria by 2025. He made this disclosure at the celebration marking World Malaria Day with the theme ‘End Malaria- Draw the Line Against Malaria.’
According to him, a national Malaria Strategic Plan (2021-2025) has been developed through a wide consultative process underpinned by a comprehensive and robust Malaria Program Review (2020). This plan integrates that of the global and regional commitments The Gambia is signatory to, in particular the Sustainable Development Goals and WHO’s Global Malaria Technical Strategy (2016-2030) and Framework for Malaria elimination.
The Program Manager for the National Malaria Control Programme continue to disclosed that the aim of the program is to make the country malaria free to ensure universal and equitable access for the population at risk to Malaria prevention and treatment intervention in line with National Health Policy.
He added that by 2025, The Gambia hopes to attain zero malaria deaths in all regions of the country, disclosing that it is also aimed to achieve zero indigenous Malaria transmission in all regions of the country in the same year.
According to him, the objective of the MSP among others are to ensure all cases of malaria at all levels receive prompt diagnosis and effective treatment according to the national guidelines by 2025, to achieve at least 90 percent coverage of appropriate preventive intervention for all transmission strata by 2025.
The Supremo at the National Malaria Control Programme disclosed that sustained investments by Global Fund and other donors have driven Malaria cases and deaths to historically low level, noting that these investments and supports have help reduce Malaria incidence in the country to 50 percent.
According to him, admissions due to Malaria in hospitals and health facilities has significantly dropped to 74 percent, adding that deaths attributed to the disease has also reduced remarkably to 90 percent.
He further disclosed that Malaria parasite prevalence has also dropped from 4.0% in 2011 to 0.2% in 2014, adding that the prevalence of Malaria has further declined to 0.1% in 2017.
The Program Manager, for National Malaria Control Programme continued to disclosed that the annual Malaria incidences declined by 43% across all seven regions for the past four years, hinting that from 149 per 1000 population in 2011 to 87 in 2014 and to 35 per 1000 population in 2017.
Kandeh revealed that the advent of Covid-19 has derailed the efforts of eliminating Malaria in the country, revealing that many individuals and pregnant women fears to visit the health Facilities to seek Anti Natal Clinic in Reproductive Child Health Services. He added that misguided used of social media to spread false information about Malaria and Covid-19 also makes the battle to eliminating Malaria harder, while urging each and every one to report to health facilities immediately for treatment of malaria.