Mozambique bemoans malaria-related deaths

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Mozambique bemoans malaria-related deaths

10:00 CAT | 19 Jun 2018

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Mozambique’s Ministry of Health (MISAU) has expressed dismay over the rising trend of malaria related deaths in Maputo, which rose to 25 in the first quarter of this year. The death toll is up from 17 when compared to the same period last year.

The Health Director of the city of Maputo, Alice de Abreu, explained that the increase in the number of deaths occurs despite the decrease in reported cases of malaria which fell to 11,227 this year from 12,790 in the first quarter of 2017.

In order to try to reverse the situation, MISAU began this Monday in Maputo, a training that will run until July 2, during which a group of 790 health professionals will benefit from specific training on the diagnosis, treatment and malaria prevention measures.

“All this aims to guarantee what is the reduction of malaria cases in the city of Maputo, but also the number of deaths,” said told a media briefing in Maputo on Monday.

She explained that the training is intended to enable newly graduates in the health sector to have the same approach and treatment orientation.

“If we all have the same information we will know how to treat malaria in the child, the pregnant woman, the elderly, as well as treat malaria when it is associated with other opportunistic infections such as HIV and also how to make the diagnosis, segment and all the care these patients” he said.

According to De Abreu, this will allow a common approach and thinking to the clinicians, in any health center in the city of Maputo, where the patient is admitted.

The official said this training will also make it easier for MISAU managers to quantify the drugs used to treat this disease and the chemicals used for diagnostic tests.

“In terms of management and organization we will be well organized to respond to all concerns about malaria in the city of Maputo,” he said.

In addition, the head of the public health department of the Maputo City Health Department, Bélia Xirinda, explained that the training will train health technicians in the new malaria treatment standards introduced last year by the government.

International financing organisation, The Global Fund, says it is spending $515 million in new grants for Mozambique to fight AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria in Mozambique this year.

Malaria is among two other infectious diseases in Mozambique namely tuberculosis and HIV/AIDS which are the leading causes of death in the southeastern African country of 28.8 million people.

Source: APA