New malaria diagnosis effective – Scientist

The Ministry of Health has embarked on a new system of detecting the malaria parasite in patients in Eastern Province.

The Microscopey method is now widely being preferred in comparison with the Rapid Diagnostic Test (RDT) which has prominently been used to test for Malaria in the past.

Eastern Provincial Biomedical Scientist George Mwakanandi told ZANIS in an interview in Katete today on the sidelines of an Outreach Training and Support Supervision (OTSS) exercise at Katete Urban Health Centre that the Miscropey way of detecting Malaria is a more reliable method.

Mr Mwakanandi said Microscopey is the method that is in line with international health best practices.

He said laboratory staff at health centres are able to quantify the amount of Malaria parasites in a patient with the recent scientific innovation.

“It has improved the Malaria diagnosis. This is one area that has developed the clinicians and us,” Mr Mwakanandi said.

And Mr Mwakanandi said OTSS is a way of offering technical support where on-site training is offered to medical personnel at various health centres.

He said the programme has improved the staff at various clinics.

Mr Mwakanandi said the fight against Malaria has greatly been impacted by OTSS.

He said the programme has enabled staff to be more conversant with approaching Malaria diagnosis in an effective way.

“For example this facility, we now have staff that are recognised at national level that they are able to detect Malaria parasites in the blood stream,” Mr Mwakanandi said.