The war against malaria has received a major boost following the launch of cross-border malaria control and prevention interventions at the Kenya-Uganda border in Busia county.

The launch took place at Akiriamas Primary School in Teso South sub-county at the weekend under the banner of the Great Lakes Malaria Initiative (GLMI).

 It seeks to eliminate malaria in the Great Lakes region in a coordinated manner for better outcomes.

Strategy will prioritise working with and supporting community-led initiatives. It will also involve distribution of mosquito nets, indoor residual spraying and implementation of other critical malaria control interventions to achieve maximum impact. In Kenya, the initiative targets the lake region endemic counties of Migori, Homa Bay, Kisumu, Vihiga, Siaya, Busia and parts of Bungoma and Kakamega.

Health Chief Administrative Secretary Dr Rashid Aman led his Rwandan counterpart Minister of State in charge of Primary Health Care Tharcisse Mpunga, and Uganda’s State Minister for Health in charge of General Duties Anifa Kawooya in the launch.

Aman said the initiative provides a unique opportunity to East Africa Community (EAC) member states to engage in joint efforts and strengthen cross-border collaboration in order to eliminate malaria while building on the respective country efforts.

“The launch recognises that as EAC member states, none of us is an island and that malaria does not recognise administrative borders,” Aman said.

“Malaria is spread across borders by movement of both mosquitoes and persons infected with the parasite hence it is becoming more evident that it needs to be tackled at a regional level, since country efforts have not produced the desired outcome,” he added.

The CAS revealed that although countries made remarkable efforts to mitigate malaria prevention and treatment, deaths due to the disease still rose by 12 per cent during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Remarkable efforts

He said EAC countries namely Kenya, Burundi, Democratic Republic of Congo, Rwanda, South Sudan, Uganda and Tanzania contribute a significant proportion of malaria burden worldwide. “In 2017, EAC region contributed 24.7 per cent of all reported malaria cases worldwide and 10.2 per cent of deaths in the world,” he said.

Aman underscored the need to harmonise and synchronise implementation of various malaria control interventions among EAC member states if GLMI strategy that envisions a malaria-free Africa Great Lakes Region is to be achieved.

“This can be achieved by establishing and sustaining regional coordination, partnership and accountability mechanisms. It also calls upon us to establish centers of excellence on malaria control and elimination,” he noted.

Kawooya said the launch is a milestone in strengthening regional corporation towards eliminating malaria in the Great Lakes Region. “Uganda is proud to align itself with the efforts of the Great Lakes Malaria Initiative in EAC to jointly ensure the battle against malaria is won.

Mpunga lauded EAC for embracing the Great Lakes Malaria Initiative, saying countries need to rethink their approach towards eliminating malaria and apply more effective strategies.