{The Ministry of Health had planned to eradicate Malaria before the end of 2015 but the plan has not been successful since the disease is still rampant across different parts of the country. The failure is attributed to climate change and ineffective implementation of Malaria preventive measures.}
At some health centers, the number of Malaria patients supersedes the number of patients suffering from other diseases.
At Nyiranuma clinics located in Biryogo cell, Nyarugenge sector, Nyarugenge district, 753 patients reported Malaria cases in the last four months of 2014 while 1243 patients were treated of malaria at the end of 2015.
Statistics from the Ministry of Health indicates that from 2013 to 2015 Malaria patients increased three-fold. In 2013 around 900,000 people suffered from Malaria while 2.7 million people suffered from Malaria in 2015.
In an interview with IGIHE, Nathan Mugume, the communications officer in the Ministry of Health said that the increase of Malaria emanates from people who may have believed that malaria had been wiped out and relented in fighting the disease.
“Some people have been reluctant to adopt prevention measures against Malaria like using mosquito nets, closing windows and cutting bushes around their homes, among others,” he said.
MINISANTE argues that climate change that brought excessive rain favored the increase of mosquitoes.
Sub-standard mosquito nets distributed in 2012 and mosquitoes resistant to pesticides are also said to have increased Malaria in the country.
{{Drug resistant}}
Some citizens say that malaria these days has become so resistant to drugs.
Daphrose Nyiramihanda, resident of Kiramuruzi sector of Gatsibo district, says that it is worrying for one individual to suffer from Malaria three times within one month even when the patient is subjected to regular treatment.
“I have four Malaria patients at my home. We have all got treatment but the ailment is not getting healed. After one week, Malaria attacks again,” she said.
MINISANTE reveals that it has an emergence plan of distributing mosquito nets in the most affected districts of Kirehe, Gisagara, Huye, Nyanza, Ngoma, Kamonyi, Kayonza, Bugesera, Ruhango and Rwamagana which register 80 % of Malaria patients in the country.
Recently, 1.6 million mosquito nets have been distributed to replace previous 5 million mosquito nets which were below standards.
In this year’s national budget, the government of Rwanda has allocated Rwf 2.4 billion to projects of combating Malaria and diseases falling under similar category.
The communications officer of MINISANTE said that special activities to combat Malaria and new campaigns on reminding citizens about their responsibilities to address Malaria are expected soon.
“We are about to adopt new measures to bring back the situation to normal. We plan campaigns among communities through umuganda, parents’ forum, churches and other platforms,” Mugume said.
{{Low Malaria deaths }}
Even though malaria increases, the number of Malaria deaths is said to have reduced compared to last year.
The latter is attributed to services delivered by community health workers at village level who have been trained to diagnose and treat malaria for children under five years and pregnant mothers.
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