Malaria cases drop by 14 per cent

BY HEZRON OCHIEL and DOMNICK MITIRO

Kenya: The Ministry of Health says war on malaria in the country is bearing fruit as cases drop.

 The Cabinet Secretary for Health James Macharia said the prevalence that stood at 34 per cent in the last five years has now dropped to 20 per cent.

 The drop has led to overall reduction of infant mortality from 77 per 1000 in 2003 to 53 live births in 2009, while mortality of children under age of five the same year reduced from 115 to 74 per 1000 live births.

 ‘‘Although we have not experienced any major malaria outbreaks in the last two years, the disease remains high in endemic counties in western part of the country,’’ said Macharia, adding that in 2013, about 50 per cent of the total cases countrywide came from these areas.

 The Cabinet Secretary revealed that the prevalence rate can be as high as 38 per cent throughout the year.

‘‘The rates are fuelled by the abundance of mosquitoes,’’ he said.

 The disease has remained a major public health concern in the country for many years.

Currently, nearly 28 million Kenyans live in malaria risk areas and the disease contributes to 19 per cent of hospitals admissions each year.

 Macharia was speaking yesterday in Kisumu during World Malaria Day commemoration attributed decline to sustained integrated malaria control activities spearheaded by the Ministry of Health.

 In recent years, the Government has stepped up preventive measures such as treated mosquito net distribution as well as indoor residual spraying.

And in the last two years, the Government in collaboration with development partners has distributed more than 10 million such nets targeting populations in endemic areas.

 ‘‘This was aimed at attaining universal coverage of one treated net for every two persons at risk, thus 22 million were protected.”