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Namibian Health and Social Services Minister Kalumbi Shangula stated that 12,286 malaria cases were recorded countrywide this year, and 28 people have lost their lives due to the disease.
Namibian Health and Social Services Minister Kalumbi Shangula stated that 12,286 malaria cases were recorded countrywide this year, and 28 people have lost their lives due to the disease. Shangula announced this on Wednesday during a World Malaria Day event at the Herbert Conradie Stadium at Khorixas and the event was observed under the theme, ‘Advancing Health Equity, Gender Equality and Human Rights’. While celebrating the achievements, Shangula emphasised that the battle against malaria is far from over and despite all efforts, it remains a serious public health challenge
The highest numbers of reported cases were from the Zambezi, Ohangwena, Kavango East, Kavango West, and Oshikoto regions, with each region reporting more than a thousand cases. Despite the overall increase in cases, the Khorixas district has made significant progress, it reduced malaria cases from seven in 2020 to just one case in 2024, with zero cases recorded in 2022.
The Simon Kunene Award, named after the late epidemiologist Simon Kunene from Eswatini, was established to recognise exceptional efforts in malaria control and elimination. Let us continue to work together with determination and unity so that future generations can live in a world free from the burden of malaria, said Shangula. The country must maintain its efforts to eliminate malaria as a public health threat by 2025.
The health ministry also launched the 2024 National Indoor Residual Spraying (IRS) campaign at the event. This initiative is an important intervention towards malaria elimination and ensuring healthier communities across the nation. Through IRS, one can protect thousands of households by applying long-lasting insecticides on the interior walls of homes, where malaria-carrying mosquitoes are most likely to rest. World Health Organisation (WHO) country representative Richard Banda said IRS is a powerful intervention which can rapidly lead to a reduction in malaria transmissions and IRS should be implemented in combination with interventions that have proven or potential efficacy.
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The campaign faces the challenge of refusals from communities that are not equipped with appropriate information. To address some of these challenges, it is recommended to strengthen community mobilisation and engagement, he said. Banda added that the WHO is taking steps to help countries counter these threats and build a more resilient response to malaria.
