Kikwete: Focus on eliminating malaria

TANZANIA: FORMER President Dr Jakaya Kikwete has urged Tanzanians to focus on preventing and ending Malaria through various interventions including destroying mosquito breeding grounds.

He said the country can end Malaria by utilising scientific interventions centred in stopping mosquito breeding grounds, which in turn kill their eggs.

According to the Health Ministry’s X account (formely Twitter), the former President Dr Kikwete recently emphasised on the significance of ending malaria after visiting the A to Z Textile Mills, a factory manufacturing mosquito nets in Arusha.

Elaborating, he noted that Tanzania is one of the 11 countries experiencing most malaria cases, where so far 93 per cent of the disease’s cases are in Africa.

“We must come up with science backed answers to address the science pressing issues, we should not politicise the disease,” he said.

In another development, Dr Kikwete commended President Samia Suluhu Hassan for showcasing her trust to leaders she appointed to supervise the National End Malaria Council, adding: “I call upon the heads to come up with interventions, which will eliminate the ailment.”

“Some of us as members had been appointed because of our great contribution in the community, in that regard the President believes in us, it is up to us to strengthen the trust by collaborating with surrounding community in introducing interventions, which end malaria,” he pointed out.

Representative of the Ministry of Health, Dr Catherine Joachim said that misuse of drugs is one of the reasons why the public experience chronic malaria infections.

“There is a tendency of the public to use medicines without medical prescription whenever they become sick; some people fail to finish their doses as prescribed by health experts. We advise all to contact medical doctors after experiencing malaria symptoms before taking any drug,” Dr Catherine said.

Citing the best practices, she noted that Mauritius ended Malaria in 1973, Cape Verde in 1918 and Algeria in 1919, adding that even Tanzania can eliminate it with sound strategy.

Other members of the National End Malaria Council included the Chief Mufti, Sheikh Abubakar Zubeir and President of Tanzania Episcopal Conference Mr Gervas Nyaisonga, all vowing to fight the ailment by creating awareness to their people.