Zero Malaria: Through the President’s Malaria Initiative (PMI), Zanzibar plans to end malaria prevalence by 2027 as part of the island’s initiatives to improve welfare and increase tourism.
Healthy safety is a major tourist consideration when tourists consider taking a safari in Africa. Malaria prevalence is one of the major tropical diseases that tourists are conscious about and in many cases, a deterring factor.
Tanzania mainland and the island of Zanzibar are now taking charge to end malaria in the five years. At least two new initiatives have been launched in this effort including, Impact Malaria and Okoa Maisha Dhibiti Malaria (OMDM) along with the newly launched Tanzania Malaria Case Management (TMCM) project.
Working with several development partners, the country has been undertaking this strategic plan to reduce and end malaria prevalence altogether for the last decade. It is hoped that building on the progress made so far, the new initiatives will help the country achieve its zero-malaria goal come 2027.
“We have made tremendous and admirable achievements in the war against malaria, we thank our partners for the support. The 2022-2027 TMCM project will accelerate our struggle to make Zanzibar malaria free area, with great hope to extend to the mainland,” Zanzibar’s Health Minister Nassor Ahmed Mazrui reassured stakeholders at major development partners meeting that was held on the island.
On behalf of stakeholders, Anna Hoffman, Deputy Director of Health at the USAID-Tanzania, said there is considerable progress already made over the years thanks to improved diagnosis and treatment capacity in Zanzibar.
To combat malaria prevalence, the stakeholders meeting launched the new project, Tanzania Malaria Case Management (TMCM) that is been implemented by the Population Services International (PSI) Tanzania and continues to build on previous activities carried out by PMI Impact Malaria and OMDM.
Hoffman said through the new project dubbed TMCM, “PMI will support malaria case management and malaria in pregnant women through quality improvement initiatives, malaria surveillance, entomological monitoring, and the implementation and monitoring of other drug-based interventions.”
This new project is been funded by the US government through USAID to the tune of US$ 27 million to strengthen health systems and to help the country achieve its overall goal, Zero-malaria. To be efficient, the project must work in collaboration with the masses, civil society and government institutions.
Speaking for the government in Zanzibar, Director of Preventive Services and Health Education in the Health Ministry, Dr Salum Slim, recalled that back in 2005 when the initiative was originally launched, malaria prevalence rate was at 31 per cent, which has now been successfully reduced to 0.1 per cent.
Malaria Prevalence Tanzania
Despite the noble goals and ambitious malaria eradication plans, Tanzania just happens to be in the list of ten countries with the highest malaria cases and deaths in the World,
As of 2020, malaria in Tanzania accounts for at least 3 percent of the global malaria cases and 4.1% of global deaths. Needless to say, there is a lot of work to be done and initiatives like the President’s Malaria Initiative (PMI) thee just launched Tanzania Malaria Case Management (TMCM) project are the key to addressing the problem.
In East and Southern Africa, Tanzania accounts for 12.8% of malaria cases in the said time. There was a slight decrease in reported cases between 2017 and 2020 from 124 to 120 per 1000 of the risk population but that represents only 2.8 percent reduction.
Worse still, during that same time of reduced reported cases, death increased from 0.42 to 0.43 per 1000 of the population at risk, which is a whopping 32 percent jump. To help fight the pandemic, so to speak, Global Fund and PMI provide most (90%) of malaria funding to Tanzania.
Other donors to the country’s healthcare system include African Development Bank, Danish International Development Agency (DANIDA), Japan International Cooperation Agency, UNICEF, United Kingdom’s Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO), the World Health Organization (WHO) and research institute.
Malaria prevalence intervention measures
The newly launched Tanzania Malaria Case Management (TMCM) project complements the country’s five year Malaria National Strategic Plan (MNSP) (2020 – 2025) all of which are meant to help the country achieve zero malaria.
Tanzania Malaria Case Management (TMCM) and the MNSP aim to increase diagnosis capacity. To do this, the projects tackle the problem on two fronts; first the care providers where they work to ensure availability of skilled providers, high-quality testing services and access to case management services for part of the population with limited access to care services or those in remote and hard-to-reach areas.
On the other front is changing public perception. To do this, part of the project funding goes to enable creation and distribution of behavior change communication to ‘encourage patients to seek a confirmatory diagnostic test before treatment, and healthcare providers to adhere to the test results.’
In a report titled Malaria Facts (Tanzania) by Severe Malaria, experts point out that, “Tanzania is also undertaking a reorganisation of the health services to achieve Universal Health Coverage (UHC). This initiative entails reimbursement through a single national health insurance scheme whereby it will be the most prominent mechanism in financing health facilities.”
In this regard, the country if also funded to increase supply of large insecticide-treated mosquito net (ITN) distribution schemes. These programs are very specific and target identified vulnerable groups through social marketing and discount voucher schemes since 2004.
“The current strategic approach to net distribution in the NMSP 2020-2025 is a mix of catch up (mass replacement campaigns) and keep up (through targeted distribution, schools and Reproductive and Child Health clinics) net delivery systems as well as through the commercial sector,” reads the report.
Thanks to these efforts, ownership of ITNs has steadily increased across Tanzania, and it is estimated that at least 92% of households own at least one ITN. The figure is impressive but it must be noted that the percentage has fluctuated over the years and ongoing campaigns aim to increase and maintain use of treated mosquito nets.
Source: allafrica.com
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Tanzania Confirms Outbreak of Marburg Virus Disease
Dodoma — Tanzania today confirmed an outbreak of Marburg virus disease in the northwestern Kagera region after one case tested positive for the virus following investigations and laboratory analysis of suspected cases of the disease.
President of the Republic of Tanzania, Her Excellency Samia Suluhu Hassan, made the announcement during a press briefing alongside World Health Organization (WHO) Director-General, Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, in the country’s administrative capital Dodoma.
“Laboratory tests conducted in Kabaile Mobile Laboratory in Kagera and later confirmed in Dar es Salaam identified one patient as being infected with the Marburg virus. Fortunately, the remaining suspected patients tested negative,” the president said. “We have demonstrated in the past our ability to contain a similar outbreak and are determined to do the same this time around.”
A total of 25 suspected cases have been reported as of 20 January 2025, all of whom have tested negative and are currently under close follow-up, the president said. The cases have been reported in Biharamulo and Muleba districts in Kagera.
“We have resolved to reassure the general public in Tanzania and the international community as a whole of our collective determination to address the global health challenges, including the Marburg virus disease,” said H.E President Hassan.
WHO is supporting Tanzanian health authorities to enhance key outbreak control measures including disease surveillance, testing, treatment, infection prevention and control, case management, as well as increasing public awareness among communities to prevent further spread of the virus.
“WHO, working with its partners, is committed to supporting the government of Tanzania to bring the outbreak under control as soon as possible, and to build a healthier, safer, fairer future for all the people of Tanzania,” said Dr Tedros. “Now is a time for collaboration, and commitment, to protecting the health of all people in Tanzania, and the region, from the risks posed by this disease.”
Marburg virus disease is highly virulent and causes haemorrhagic fever. It belongs to the same family as the virus that causes Ebola virus disease. Illness caused by Marburg virus begins abruptly. Patients present with high fever, severe headache and severe malaise. They may develop severe haemorrhagic symptoms within seven days.
“The declaration by the president and the measures being taken by the government are crucial in addressing the threat of this disease at the local and national levels as well as preventing potential cross-border spread,” said Dr Matshidiso Moeti, WHO Regional Director for Africa. “Our priority is to support the government to rapidly scale up measures to effectively respond to this outbreak and safeguard the health of the population,”
Tanzania previously reported an outbreak of Marburg in March 2023 – the country’s first – in Kagera region, in which a total of nine cases (eight confirmed and one probable) and six deaths were reported, with a case fatality ratio of 67%.
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In the African region, previous outbreaks and sporadic cases have been reported in Angola, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ghana, Kenya, Equatorial Guinea, Rwanda, South Africa and Uganda.
Marburg virus is transmitted to people from fruit bats and spreads among humans through direct contact with the bodily fluids of infected people, surfaces and materials. Although several promising candidate medical countermeasures are currently undergoing clinical trials, there is no licensed treatment or vaccine for effective management or prevention of Marburg virus disease. However, early access to treatment and supportive care – rehydration with oral or intravenous fluids – and treatment of specific symptoms, improve survival.
Source: allafrica.com
