The Deputy Speaker of Parliament in Uganda has called on citizens to participate in the upcoming World Malaria Day celebrations and join the ride against malaria exercise to create awareness about the disease. The national event is scheduled to take place in Mbarara on April 27, 2023.
According to the Ministry of Health, weekly surveillance data shows that over 150,000 cases of malaria have been confirmed. The report reveals that 40 out of every 100 people test positive for malaria, and 19 deaths were reported at health facilities.
In a bid to address the situation, Mr Tayebwa highlighted that malaria kills an average of 52 Ugandans daily and results in an economic loss of Shs2.4 trillion per year. He urged fellow citizens to take action and participate in the Parliament Walk against Malaria on April 23, 2023, and donate blood on the same day to address the shortage of blood in the country.
Dr Diana Atwine, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Health, noted that malaria has a significant economic burden that needs to be addressed. She added that the ministry has collaborated with other stakeholders to enhance awareness, diagnosis, and treatment of malaria.
However, the country is still facing a shortage of vector control officers. The Vector Control Division in Uganda was established in the early 1920s to manage malaria and malaria vectors, particularly in urban areas. The ministry indicates that the division has Vector Control Officers in more than 69 districts, where they work as district local government employees under the District Health Office (DHO) and in health sub-districts.
The government needs to recruit more vector control officers to address the situation, as Uganda currently has 135 districts and 11 cities. The Research Triangle Consortium has urged the government to recruit more personnel to end malaria in Uganda and Sub-Saharan Africa by mapping mosquito breeding zones to support the prevention of vector-borne diseases.
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