The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) has provided $176 million to Tanzania in the past four years to support the fight against Malaria.
Malaria, which is one of the country’s deadliest diseases, accounts for about 36 percent of deaths among children under age five and some 40 percent of all outpatient visits, according to Voices for a Malaria-Free Future.
Meanwhile, the government is implementing the second phase of the National Malaria Control Programme after an initial phase cut infection rate in southern Tanzania, including Rufiji district, to 4.9 percent from 25 percent between April 2015 and June 2018.
Rufiji district is one of Tanzania’s malaria hotspots. Infection rate in 2017 was 14 percent – almost double the 7.3 percent national average, according to the National Bureau of Statistic’s Malaria Indicator Survey.
Based on the programme design, a team of malaria testers visits the locations registering high malaria infections to test asymptomatic and symptomatic patients, with those found positive put on treatment.
It is understood that through the U.S. President’s Malaria Initiative, Tanzania has received insecticide treated bednets, life-saving medicines, high quality diagnostic testing and trained over 4,700 health workers to date.
‘Our support aligns with Tanzania’s priorities outlined in its vision 2025 by focusing on developing human capital, as well as institutions and systems which the government sees as critical to achieving and sustaining its long-term vision’, USAID Mission Director, Andrew Karas, said during a recent Clouds FM interview to commemorate World Malaria Day.
‘Despite incredible progress, too many people still lack the malaria interventions we know save lives’, Karas added.
‘We must reach the unreached. Too many nurses, midwives, community health workers and others are delivering essential malaria services with insufficient training, equipment, and pay.
‘We must make health systems safer for them and better for the people they serve. The milestone of eliminating malaria is still too far away for many countries. We must strive to end malaria faster’.
Due to huge geographical variance in malaria prevalence, Tanzania is taking differentiated control strategies.
‘We are dealing with infection rates ranging from three percent to 14 percent [nationwide] therefore we need targeted approaches’, the World Health Organisation (WHO) quoted the National Malaria Control Programme Manager, Dr Ally Mohamed, as saying.
The country is also carrying out public health education campaigns through events such as football derbies where people are advised on how to curb infections by properly using long lasting insecticide treated nets and seeking prompt and proper malaria treatment.
Photo source: Alex Larrieux/USAID
