News Article
From Post of Zambia (Lusaka), through Africa News - Original
HEADLINE:
Malaria Cases Worry Mpamba
BYLINE: Wilson Silungwe
DATELINE: 16 December 1999
Lusaka - Between 12 and 20 per cent of the deaths recorded in hospitals in Zambia are caused by malaria infections, said health minister David Mpamba
yesterday.
Opening the consultative and sensitisation meeting on Roll Back Malaria at Lusaka's Pamodzi Hotel, Mpamba expressed concern at the continued high level
of malaria cases being attended to in health institutions. He said about 24 per cent of all health centre admissions and 12 per cent of hospital admissions were as a
result of malaria.
"In many countries, the resources for malaria control and eradication are dwindling
by the day," Mpamba said.
He said government was ready to support all operational research aimed at helping
to eradicate disease.
Mpamba said there was also strong need to eliminate mortality and reduce
morbidity caused by malaria especially in under-fives, pregnant women, the
malnourished and chronically ill. He said the malaria-causing mosquito has in the
recent past become increasingly resistant to insecticides. "Furthermore, the
malaria parasite itself has developed resistance against chloroquine which is the
commonest and most affordable anti-malarial drug in the country," Mpamba said.
He said the government is committed to eradication of malaria which was said to
be second to HIV/AIDS in terms of mortality rate. World Health Organisation
(WHO) resident representative Dr Eddie Magamu said it was necessary that all
stakeholders join forces in the fight to eradicate malaria. "Partnership is needed to
control malaria so as to bring down mortality rates as a result of malaria," he said.
Dr Magamu said there was hope in Zambia as the country had already gone into
the inception stage of the Programme Malaria, a project by WHO to eradicate
malaria in all countries in the world.
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