The WHO repesentative Dr.Olufemi Oke reminded the invited guests and about 400members of the community about the targets of ROLL BACK MALARIA set at the Abudja Summit on 25.04. 2000: By the year 2010 the Malaria cases and the Mortality of Malaria should be reduced by half! On the 7.th comme-moration the theme was : Free Namibia from Malaria now! How important this is underlined Dr. Olufemi with the following facts from 2007:
1. Every 30 sec. a child under 5 years dies in Africa from Malaria.
2.From 350 - 500 Million malaria cases worldwide About 1 Million people dy still each year.
3.Malaria related ilnesses and mortalities cost Africas economy each year about N$ 90 Billion.
Dr. Olufemi is confident that Africa meets the Abudja target by 2010 and promised the further support of the WHO.
The honorable Minister of Health and Soc. Ser. , Dr. Richard Kamwi, in his keynote adress said :
From an average of about 450 000 malaria cases and about 1 300 mortalities per year befor 2005 in 2006
the Malaria cases came down to 299 000 with about 29 000 inpatients there of. This improvement is contributed by the fact that it was possible to do in 86% of the houses in the malaria area indoor spraying [mostly as recommended by WHO with DDT ] . Also were 140 000 insectizide treated mosquito nets donated by Global Fund and distributed by MOHSS for free to children under 5 years and pregnent women.[ up to 60 % of children in the malaria area are sleeping under insectizide treated nets]
Unfortunately the mortality rate of malaria in 2006 was still at 1256 cases. The reasons are under investigations.
The Minister again warned peopel not to use bed nets for fishing.
He than went on to state that his Ministry can not win the fight against Malaria whith out partnership with NGO‘s and the private sector. So he welcomed the sponsor ship of Mossi Nets to school hostels in Caprivi. Mr. Bornface Matengu of Bank Windhoek handed 285 Mossi Nets [worth N$ 10 000] over to the Minister.
Bank Windhoek underlined the fact that they not only wont to be involved in the fight against malaria , but support at the same time local manufacturing ,the only way to get development to Namibia. [Mossi Nets lost half of the jobs do to about 300 000 imported nets in the past 2years]
In his closing remarks the major of Katima Mulilo ,his workship John Likando, thanked all steakholders in thr commemoration day for their contributions.