Rwanda: Malaria Prevalent in Southern Province - Report

Source: allAfrica

The Rwanda Biomedical Center (RBC) has shed light on the regions grappling with high occurrences of malaria, highlighting the Southern Province as the most prevalent to the disease.

The Malaria and NTDs Annual report for 2022-23 shows four districts within the Southern Province as primary areas with a significant concentration of malaria cases. Simultaneously, the Eastern Province reported the fewest cases, leading the charge among regions with lower malaria prevalence.

Within the Southern Province, Nyamagabe, Gisagara, Nyaruguru, and Muhanga surfaced as the districts most heavily affected by malaria, recording rates of 111, 100, 91, and 73 cases per 1000 individuals respectively. Additionally, Gicumbi in the Northern province and Gasabo district in Kigali City are among the top districts grappling with 95 and 91 cases respectively.

The national malaria incidence presently stands at 47 cases per 1000 individuals. Rwanda has a target of achieving zero malaria cases by 2030.

In the Eastern Province, Ngoma, Gatsibo, and Kayonza districts are among the five districts experiencing lower instances of malaria, marking the region as a frontrunner in combating the disease.

The districts exhibiting the lowest malaria cases nationwide include Nyabihu with 5 cases per 1000 people, followed by Ngoma, Gatsibo, Burera, and Kayonza districts.

Epaphrodite Habanabakize, the Malaria Prevention Senior Officer at the Rwanda Biomedical Center, emphasized the persistent challenge posed by a segment of the population disregarding established preventive measures. Habanabakize highlighted ongoing efforts, notably the 'Rwanda Malaria and Indicator Survey,' aimed at comprehending the reasons behind this disregard and providing crucial insights to combat the parasite effectively.

Habanabakize cautioned the populace residing in both rural and urban areas about the dynamic nature of malaria, emphasizing that preventive measures are equally critical regardless of the location.

"While malaria doesn't discriminate between rural and urban areas, preventive measures remain pivotal in curbing its spread," Habanabakize said.

In light of the concerning districts with high malaria cases, he urged strict adherence to preventive measures, including sleeping under mosquito nets, allowing homes to undergo mosquito spraying, and embracing all recommended precautions when outdoors.

Data from RBC indicates that malaria-related deaths have declined to 51 cases from 663 in 2016 while patients with severe malaria were 17,941 but the number went down to 1,316 in 2022-2023.