Maputo, 18 Jun (AIM) – The Mozambican health authorities have called for greater intervention by civil society organizations in the fight to eradicate malaria from the country.
According to Eusébio Chaquisse, head of the Central Department of Primary Health Care at the Health Ministry, who was speaking during a national workshop on “the Role of Civil Society Organizations in the Elimination of Malaria”, the crucial way of fighting malaria is by engaging more civil society organizations to promote prevention of the disease.
Over the first quarter of 2024, the authorities recorded 6.2 million cases of malaria across the country. However, the number of deaths caused by malaria fell to 196.
“Functioning also depends on supervision, the participation of civil society and the recognition of the efforts to eliminate malaria. It also depends on the participation of civil society. Malaria is one of the main causes of death, although in the southern region of the country this indicator is tending to fall”, he said.
Chaquisse believes that climate change has been contributing to the prevalence of the disease in some parts of the country.
“In the last few months, we’ve had some outbreaks in Maputo city and in areas where we had control, naturally because of some climate changes. Malaria depends a lot on these factors”, he said.
“The elimination of malaria depends on how we position ourselves and how civil society participates. We know that we need to bring in combined interventions so that, in fact, we can achieve the success of what we want, firstly as a country, and secondly as a region”, he added.
For her part, Gilda Jossias, chairperson of the Civil Society Platform for Health and Human Rights in Mozambique (PLASOC-M), said that, although the number of deaths caused by malaria is tending to fall, the disease continues to be one of the greatest public health problems, “partly due to the country’s economic situation.”
Jossias expressed her concern at the withdrawal of funding, which she said is a major challenge. “This new scenario will put us on a downward slope from the gains made in malaria with the reprogramming”, she said.
(AIM)
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