Over 25 million Kenyans to get mosquito nets as malaria prevalence eases
The Ministry of Health has launched a KES8 billion campaign which aims at distributing 15.7 million insecticide-treated mosquito nets targeting to benefit over 25 million people around 27 counties with high malaria prevalence.
The Ministry, however, says that significant steps have been made in the fight against malaria with Kenya recording a reduction in nationwide malaria prevalence.
The zone around the Lake Victoria region, which is usually considered endemic, has recorded a malaria prevalence drop to 19 per cent from 27 per cent in 2015.
“The Coast region, another endemic region has also seen a drop in the prevalence of malaria from 8 per cent to 4.5 per cent,” said Health CAS, Dr Rashid Aman.
Read also: Kagwe – Kenya needs HIV drugs’ budget to cut reliance on donors
Data from the ministry shows that the prevalence of malaria in Kenya has reduced to 5.6 per cent from 8 per cent in 2015.
However, the tropical disease still kills approximately 20,000 people per year.
In an effort to speed up the move to end malaria, the CAS said the government has also announced a collaboration with the Cuban government to spray mosquito larvae from their breeding sources.
The findings by the ministry show that between 2015 and 2020, there was an increased ownership and use of bed nets as well as improved availability and access to recommended malaria treatment in the 27 high malaria burden regions.
So far about 190,000 children under the age of 2 years have already received the malaria vaccine which was piloted in September, 2019 in eight counties with the highest malaria prevalence.
Adding on that, the Ministry said that to succeed the mission to end malaria, the nation must address financial and resource gaps that hamper the implementation of Kenya’s malaria strategic plan.
“We have a financial resource gap of KES24 billion to fully implement the current Kenya malaria strategic plan from 2018-2023. It is for this reason that in line with HE President Kenyatta’s legacy agenda as chair of the African Leader’s Malaria Alliance, that we in Kenya have taken steps towards mobilization of resources locally,” read the statement.
Kenya joined other countries in marking World Malaria day on April, 25, with this year’s theme being ‘Zero Malaria-Draw the line Against Malaria.’
