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Seek solution to malaria, says WHO representative
- Details
- Published on Monday, 23 July 2007 01:21
Dr Chatora was also concerned that anti-malaria drugs were available in the country but never reached those who needed them most. Dr Chatora was speaking when he called on Nyanza PC Peter Raburu in his office in Kisumu.
"We know the [long] rains will come next year, but it does not mean we should face another malaria outbreak."
The WHO boss was in Kisumu for a meeting on malaria. With him were a representative from the British Department for International Development, Dr Alajdair Unwin, the deputy director of Medical Services, Dr Peter Gaturuku, the head of Malaria Control Programme, Dr Sam Achola, Nyanza provincial medical officer Ambrose Misore among other senior officials of the Ministry of Health.
The official said African countries were the hardest hit by malaria and that "more malaria deaths occurred in Africa than even Asia (most populated continent in the world)".
He said most malaria patients sought treatment late, further aggravating their vulnerability to the disease.
Dr Chatora said WHO had made malaria control a priority, particularly in Africa, "and there is need to sensitise people on available technology that would help people avoid catching malaria".
Mr. Raburu challenged the Ministry of Health to launch an aggressive public education campaign to help combat malaria. He said the department of public health had so far failed to respond effectively to people's need for information and education on how they can make their homes free from mosquitoes.
"Our main problem is that public health education is not getting down to the people.
Many of our villages have not been reached and many people still go without medication or have to do with insufficient treatment," he said.
Mr. Raburu said he hoped that a recurrence of malaria outbreaks in the Kisii Highlands whenever long rains came will be forestalled "now that we have very senior people meeting on malaria long before the rains come".
