ACT AGAINST MALARIA - M'MEMBE

Opposition Socialist Party president Fred M’membe has called for urgent action over the raging cases of Malaria in Zambia.

Dr M’membe writes…

Cases of Malaria are on a frightening rise in North Western, Luapula, Northern and Muchinga provinces.

We are fast approaching a crisis point. Urgent action is needed.

While recognised internationally for our ambitious goal of malaria elimination and for having attained pre- elimination levels in Southern Province, Zambia, as a whole remains a highly endemic malaria country, with the entire population considered to be at risk of contracting malaria.

It is among the 20 countries with the highest malaria incidence and mortality globally, and the country carries 2 per cent of the global malaria case burden and 6.1 per cent of the case burden in East and Southern Africa.

Risk is highest in the wetter, rural, impoverished provinces of Luapula, Northern, Muchinga and North Western (11–30 per cent prevalence), and lowest in Lusaka Province (0.1 per cent) and Southern Province (<0.1 per cent).

We urge the government to urgently to do something before many more lives are lost.