WORLD MALARIA DAY :: 25,April,2008
A WORD FROM THE DIRECTOR
25 April is a day of unified commemoration of the global effort to provide effective control of malaria around the world. World Malaria Day is an opportunity to increase awareness of the community for a Rwanda free from Malaria Now. This will be an opportunity to emphasize the use of LLINs for all as well as early seeking for effective Malaria treatment at community level, and in both public and private sector.
Last year 2007, Rwanda has shown amazing results in the reduction of 64% in malaria cases and 66% in malaria deaths within a single year following the mass distribution campaign of more than 1.4 millions of LLINS and the use of ACTs countrywide in 2006.
This year, the MOH will consolidate best practices and interventions to scale up desired coverage for a Rwanda free from Malaria.
The 2008 World Malaria day’s theme is: "malaria- a disease without border". The MOH has chosen Kirehe, a district located in the eastern province at the border of border of Tanzania and Burundi to show that the disease or its vector can cross the border and thus there’s a need of regional effort to control and eliminate the disease.
As malaria can be co-infected with other diseases, the MOH will at this occasion launch the integration of the Malaria Home-based Management (HBM) in the new integrated package of community health care as Malaria should be prevented taken in charge with other diseases such as pneumonia, diarrhea, etc. Distribution of LLINs will also be announced as one of the key strategies of Malaria prevention in PLHIV and their families. Since 2007 Public and community sectors deserve highly " subsidized and efficacious drugs for malaria treatment". This year ACTs will also be distributed in the private sector to fill the gaps so people in all sectors can get affordable efficacious antimalarial drugs".
I would like to take this opportunity to congratulate the Government of Rwanda, local leaders, health personnel and community health workers as well as Partners for their efforts and the success in the fight against Malaria in Rwanda.
We can protect ourselves from Malaria if we:
- Sleep every day under an insecticide treated net
- Join community health insurance for solidarity and better health care
- Live in a safe and clean environment and dry all stagnant water
- Immediately seek a health worker whenever there is any sign of malaria
Together we can make a Rwanda free from Malaria now, let’s make it happen Now!
The Director of the program
WORLD MALARIA DAY IN RWANDA :: AGENDA
| ACTIVITIES | ||
-February 2008: Announcement of the World Malaria Day theme:"MALARIA-A disease without borders" |
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-April 25, 2008: Launch of Distribution of LLINs to PLHIV by the Ministry of Health, Rwanda. Bukora Health Center , Kirehe District
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