The rapid spread of malaria is leaving many children and families in danger in Zambia. With all this happening, the Luapula Province has decided to spray over forty-four thousand housing structures through its forthcoming Indoor Residual Spraying (IRS) Programme.
The life-saving programme has been implemented by the Ministry of Health in Collaboration with Vector Link. The initiative will start on the 29 of September in the Province.
The Health Promotion Officer at the Chienge District Mr Given Hatyoka explained that the program will distribute insecticide treated mosquito nets to areas where IRS will not be conducted. He also assured that the program would do all it could to help with the fight against malaria.
“As a District we have some problematic areas in terms of Malaria cases, and there are some which are performing fairly well,” Mr Hatyoka said.
During a Malaria Taskforce Committee meeting, Mr Hatyoka stated that the Health Promotion Officer identified areas with high malaria infections and decided to attend them first. The places included Chienge District as Kapako, Puta, Lambwe Chomba and Lambwe Chikwama.
The workers are currently being trained on how to conduct the job as sprayer operators. The programme will adhere to the Zambia Environmental Management Agency (ZEMA) regulations on the handling of the Chemicals that would be used.
“We are all privy to the fact that the COVID-19 Pandemic is here in the Country, prevention starts at the individual level and as such we have to all comply with regulations,” he said.
The Chienge District has marked an increase of over 44 000 malaria cases in the first quarter of 2020. However,the Zambia National Malaria Elimination Strategic Plan 2017-2012 (NMESP) and aims to combat Malaria in Zambia by 2021.
