Mozambique: City of Maputo reports close to 5,000 cases of malaria in 18 weeks

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Mozambique: City of Maputo reports close to 5,000 cases of malaria in 18 weeks

2:55 CAT | 23 May 2024

in file CoM

Almost 5,000 patients have been admitted to health units in the city of Maputo with malaria since the beginning of this year.

The data was provided to AIM by the Municipal Director of Health at the Maputo Municipal Council, Emília Cumaquela, speaking about the record of water diseases during the 2023-24 rainy season.

The health sector says that cases are now falling off, as the rainy season has passed and “we are about to enter winter”.

Areas of Maputo prone to flooding are soaked, and there the mosquito that causes malaria is born, putting the health of residents at risk.

“From the beginning of the year until Week 18, we have a cumulative 4,604 cases of malaria compared to 5,339 in 2023, which corresponds to 14%, also without deaths,” Cumaquela said.

Cumaquela said that municipal teams of preventive medicine technicians have been visiting homes to check for waste and stagnant water, with a view to avoiding water-borne diseases.

“If we look at the issue of provenance, we saw that the majority of malaria cases are recorded in the districts of KaMavota, with 1,253 cases, Nhlamankulo with 1,683 and KaMpfumu with 816 cases,” Emília Cumaquela detailed.

“We have recommended communities to use mosquito nets, reinforce cleaning and avoid the accumulation of stagnant water, which favours the proliferation of mosquitoes,” she explained.

She pointed out the issue of cleanliness in homes and in the community, and avoiding the accumulation of puddles of water in backyards and in pots as the best way to prevent malaria.

Source: AIM Moçambique