Speaking during the launch of the mass drug administration at Sikalongo Secondary School, Dr Chilufya said the Patriotic Front (PF) government has ferocious approach towards the elimination of malaria.
Dr Chilufya said malaria was preventable and curable and had come up with interventions such as the Indoor Residue Spraying and mass drug administration.
He said the country was targeting 2018 which would portray that the country could eliminate malaria.
“Our intervention will focus on protecting the public through indoor residue spraying, and also focus on treatments. We will also ensure that a special population the expectant mothers are prevented,” he said.
He appealed to the members of the public to take the drugs being administered as they were safe and would protect them from malaria.
“Let’s ensure we support this role in the fight against malaria and allow those doing the indoor residue spraying,” he said.
Southern Province Permanent Secretary Sibanze Simuchoba and Choma District Commissioner Sheena Muleya led the community into taking the malaria drug called Di- hydro Artemesinin piperaquine.
The Minister administered the drugs and also participated in the indoor residue spraying conducted at one of the houses in Sikalongo. The indoor residue spraying was being conducted in Luapula, Muchinga, Northern, Southern and Eastern province.
He said the similar programme would also being undertaken in the other five other provinces.
Chief Singani appealed to government to provide more staff at the only health centre in Sikalongo ward.
Chief Singani made the appeal through his representative Samuel Sakala who said mothers walk longer distances to access health facilities and it was important that government provides a vehicle at the health centre.
But the Minister assured the traditional ruler that government would provide a utility vehicle and would soon deploy more staff at the rural health centre.
It takes more than just those baby steps to achieve zero malaria bwana! Go to Mauricius and learn how they did it.
Real Quest I agree with you. Mosquito resides in a area where the conditions are suitable for its existence, zambia being one those areas. I wonder how we are going to eliminate malaria. The best we could do is prevent our people from contracting malaria and not eliminate malaria. A malaria parasite reside in the mosquito and if we have to eliminate malaria we need to eliminate all mosquitoes first; is it possible to do that!
Not this incompetent PF govt. It’s just a pipedream and propaganda.
What is mass drug administration? Is it for prevention is it a vaccine to stop malaria… what is it other than rhetoric…why haven’t we been given preventative drugs for our kids if it can happen now. Why politicise life saving opportunities… or are we all dreamers.. let us mature as a NATION
LIFE IS NOT ABOUT POLITICS BUT THATS ALL WE TALK ABOUT IN ZAMBIA. Find SOLUTIONS NOT FAULT. Then maybe we will progress eventually. Do not think of what we can do for us but what we can do for our children.
My research indicates that medicine is suitable for pregnznt woman and studies are still continuing as to the efficacy on children and adults, this is not a one administration dose it must be continued . Studies are being undertsken in uganda and kenya. Anybody can google the medicine and read for themselves.
The best approach to eliminate any vector-borne disease (malaria, Dengue, Zika, etc.) is to eliminate the mosquito or reduce mosquito/human contact as much as possible. It has been done before and can be repeated. While looking for better diagnostic methods and treatment must continue, these have never prevented a vector-borne disease or controlled an VBD outbreak. Leaving mosquito control out of the equation will not lead to eliminating malaria or any vector-borne disease. I have helped develop and implement the Indoor Residual Spraying (IRS) campaigns in Zambia and many other parts of Africa and I have seen it work. I KNOW it works. However, contrary to popular belief, vector control goes far beyond IRS and mosquito nets. What is needed is the political and community will to implement…