As the 13th national dialogue ‘Umushyikirano’ continues with deliberations on different topical issues in Kigali, a Nyanza district citizen has asked the government to explain the increase of malaria in different parts of the country, a matter that was discussed during the recent cabinet meeting held on 16th December 2015, which requested increased efforts in the fight against malaria.
When the participant asked the cause of malaria increase, president Kagame requested that every raised question should be attended to by leaders in whose docket the concern falls. The minister of health Dr. Agnes Binagwaho listed possible causes of malaria, hastily adding that measures are being put in place to combat the disease.
“It is true that malaria has increased in the country; but it is not a case that is unique to Rwanda. The various causes include climate change and drug resistant mosquito-transmitted plasmodium parasites,” said Binagwaho.
She explained that in 2015, over 1.6 million mosquito nets have been distributed with plans underway to procure 4.2 million more.
Binagwaho added that the ministry is in the process of identifying alternative medicine to address drug resistant malaria.
“We are partnering with Egypt in a project of seeking another effective insecticide that kills mosquitoes,” she said.
The ministry of health says that in collaboration with the ministry of local government and other ministries are organizing sensitization of citizens on removing breeding grounds for mosquitoes.
She said there are other plans of producing insecticides within the country. It is expected that in the not so distant future, every Rwandan will be able to test for malaria while malaria among children under five years it will be diagnosed by community health volunteers.
Leave a Reply