Magreth Nunuhe
27 April 2011
Namacunde — Namibia and Angola signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to combat the cross-border spread of malaria between the two countries when they launched the Trans-Cunene Malaria Initiative in Angola on Monday.
Dr Richard Kamwi, the Minister of Health and Social Services and his counterpart, Dr Jose Vandumen, joined forces at a ceremony in Namacunde, southern Angola, in line with World Health Organisation (WHO) recommendations to strengthen cross border initiatives.
Kamwi said the two countries experienced the same challenges related to disease burden. That is why on March 11 this year, together with the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Zamibia, they signed an MoU on cross border related issues in Lusaka and Engela in Angola.
Kamwi said at independence, Namibia experienced the worst malaria epidemic that claimed 1 500 deaths in the four “O” regions, Oshana, Omusati, Ohangwena and Oshikoto, while 41 636 malaria cases were reported in 2001.
By last year, that figure had tremendously dropped to 45 deaths and 1505 malaria related cases because of persistent use of indoor residual spraying, which diminished the most common indoor mosquito called anopheles fanestus.
“The aim of this initiative is to bring Namibia closer to elimination and give Angola the support to push its malaria control to the North until they reach elimination phase,” Kamwi said, promising that together, they would create effective malaria control around borders to reduce malaria cases.
Every year, 230 000 malaria cases are reported among the 1.6 million people that live in the Trans-Cunene Regions. He said the first phase of the Trans-Cunene would include Ohangwena, Omusati and Kunene Regions on the Namibian side and Cunene Province on Angolan side, where the two countries would share expertise, logistics and infrastructure.
He added that a long lasting insecticide treated nets project would be introduced in Odibo and Namacunde to be supported by the Anglican AIDS programme/Nets for Life.
Vandumen said the initiative was of great importance to both countries just as HIV/AIDS and TB have been identified at a meeting in Rundu.
He said a lot of work needs to be done in the region to get rid of malaria, but due to global and political instability, the results are not always ideal.
He congratulated the acting Governor of the Cunene Province, Mario Ndeitunga, in the absence of the Governor, Dr Antonio Didalelwa, for a fast response in the face of the malaria challenge.
Ndeitunga said malaria had decreased by 25 per cent in the Cunene Province as a result of hard work and efforts to prevent the disease.
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