Within the Ministry of Health of Somalia, Dr Abdifatah Ahmed Barre, Program Manager of the National Malaria Control Program (NMCP) of Somalia, informed us that the number of malaria cases in the last two years were not properly recorded because of COVID-19 restrictions, and information gathered about the disease is limited compared to previous years (2017 and 2018).
April 25th is annually marked as World Malaria Day. The theme this year is "harness innovation to reduce the malaria disease burden and save lives." Malaria is a life-threatening disease caused by the transmission of parasites from infected female Anopheles mosquitoes. Although malaria is treatable and preventable, many countries, including Somalia, are suffering from it because of its prevalence.
WHO estimated, in 2020, that there are 241 million new cases of malaria and 627, 000 malaria-related deaths in 85 countries, of which more than two thirds of the deaths were among children under the age of 5 living in the WHO African Region. Malaria is more common in Somalia during the rainy season compared to dry seasons. It is the most known disease in Somalia and is locally known as "Duumo".
Within the Ministry of Health of Somalia, Dr Abdifatah Ahmed Barre, Program Manager of the National Malaria Control Program (NMCP) of Somalia, informed us that the number of malaria cases in the last two years were not properly recorded because of COVID-19 restrictions, and information gathered about the disease is limited compared to previous years (2017 and 2018).
Dr Barre stated, “We do a lot in intervention for malaria protection. In each state we have a focal point team, they test and treat, they distribute mosquito nets, supervise the work in the hospital and they train the residents as well." He added, "We have four pillars to help reach zero malaria deaths and reduce malaria incidence by 2025. Those pillars include:
Universal access to appropriate malaria prevention and case management intervention
Accelerate towards malaria elimination
Enhanced strategic information generation
Ensuring environment and systems for malaria response in Somalia are optimally functioning
Somalia is among the countries which receive from the Global Fund, a partnership designed to eradicate malaria all over the world. iSHA promotes awareness and health education for the Somali people. For your information and awareness, it is generally advised to visit a doctor if you notice the following symptoms of malaria:
high fever, shaking chills, muscle ache, nausea and vomiting
It is also advised to use mosquito nets, especially in the areas along the rivers. Vulnerable people, including elderly, children and women should take care of themselves the most.
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