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MINISTRY OF HEALTH
SPEECH OF MR. JAMBS MACHARIA, THE CABTNET SECRETARY FOR
HEALTH, DURING THE COMMEMORATION OF THE WORLD MALARIA DAy 20t4IN KTSUMU COUNTY ON 25rH APRIL 2014.
Governor Kisumu County, H.B. Jack Ranguma, Member of Parliament, Kisumu, Hon. Olago Aluoch,
World Health Organization Country Representative, Dr. Custodia Mandhlate, Members of County Assembly Present, Senior Ministry of Health officials from National and County Governments,
Invited Guests, Ladies and Gentlemen,
I
am delighted to be here today as we mark one of the most important events in the
global health community, the World Malaria Day.
I
sincerely thank the County
Government of Kisumu for accepting to host the National Event. This day is not only relevant to Kenya as a country with persistent transmission of malaia but also for this
county as
it is one of the endemic areas in our Republic. This duy is being
commemorated in all the 47 Counties in this country.
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This day presents an opportune time to reflect on the achievements and challenges in " the war against malaria in this country and world over. It is an opportunity to re-focus
our efforts on the remaining challenges towards a malaria free society. As you have been informed by previous speakers, the theme for this year is "Invest
in the future;
Defeat malaria". This message is a clear indication that malaria is a real impediment to future health and economic development.
Malaria has remained a major public health concern in this country for many years. Nearly 28 million Kenyans live in Malaria risk areas and the disease contributes to lgYo of all hospitals admissions each year. When causes anaemia, pregnancy loss and delivery
it
occurs in pregnant women, it
of low birth weight babies. It therefore
contributes significantly to poor maternal and child health and impacts negatively on
the attainment of Millennium Development Goal number 4, 5 and 6.
It is with
this
background that malaria control remains a priority in the health sector. Financing malaria control is therefore not expenditure but an investment in the future.
Although we have not experienced any major malaria outbreaks in the last two years, malaria remains an endemic disease in Counties in Western part of the country. In 2013, about 50oh of the total malaria cases countrywide came from the high endemic
counties in this part of the country. In these counties, the prevalence rate of malaria
can be as high as 38o/o. This persistent infection has sustained an all year round transmission of the disease which is fueled by the abundance of the mosquito vector.
Ladies and Gentlemen, Kenya has made tremendous achievements in the fight against malaria. In the last five years, we have seen the proportion
from
34o/o
to
of outpatient attendance due to malaria
reduced
less than 20%. Malaria control efforts have contributed to the overall
reduction of infant mortality from 7711000 in 2003
to
5211000
in
2009 and also
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reduction in mortality of children under five from 115 per 1000 in 2003 to 74 perl000 in 2009. We anticipate much more reduction this year. This was made possible due to sustained integrated malaria control activities that have
been spearheaded by
my Ministry. We have continued to provide globally
recommended, quality assured medicines at
health facilities for the treatment
no cost in the public and
faith-based
of malaria. Further, we have made these drugs
accessible in the private sector at low and affordable prices.
The Ministry has rolled-out malaria testing in all public facilities as part of the implementation of testing before treatment policy. This will ensure that those who test positive for malaria get the treatment required. Adherence to this policy is expected to
provide a more accurate picture of the true malaria burden. The Government is currently working on ways to scale up community case management of malaria.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Although we recommend timely diagnosis and treatment of malaria, majority of those infected seek treatment when
result in death.
it is too late. Untreated
It is therefore
malaria is dangerous and can
imperative that persons living in malaria prone area
should ensure they seek medical treatment as soon as they notice signs and symptoms
of this disease. The severity of malaria is aggravated in children, pregnant women and the elderly. These people are athigher risk of malaria complications and death.
It is therefore indeed very important that we take a deliberate effort to prevent malaria.
It is for this reason that my Ministry has invested huge resources in malaria prevention. The government has diversified the preventive measures through integrated vector control strategies including use of insecticide treated bed nets, indoor residual spraying (IRS) and environmental modification to prevent mosquito breeding.
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In the last 2 years, my Ministry in collaboration with our development partners has " distributed more that 10 million insecticide treated bed nets targeted at populations residing in counties with high malaria burden. This was aimed at attainipg universal coverage
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treated mosquito net for every two persons at risk and thus about 22
million persons were protected while bed net household ownership in counties
of
Western Kenya rose
to
83%. This
is
complemented
endemic
by the routine
distribution of treated mosquito nets through maternal and child welfare clinics.
The Ministry
will continue to support County Governments to implement
sustainable
malaria prevention interventions such as indoor residue sprays and distribution of new
insecticide treated bed nets to replace old ones. The national government
will also
continue to support counties to access malaria diagnostic tools and drugs for treatment
of diagnosed cases.
My Ministry has continued to work with other ministries and stakeholders to maintain exemptions from taxes and tariffs on medicines, test kits, mosquito nets, insecticides, and spray equipment. This has greatly reduced the cost of prevention and treatment
of
malaria in this country.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
To guide the counties on appropriate malaria control interventions, my Ministry
has
developed and disseminated county specific malaria profiles that include maps and data on malaria risk patterns. County governments must make every effort to invest
their resources in disease surveillance and malaria prevention and treatment. The National government
will
continue to provide evidence based policies and strategies
to guide all counties in malaria control.
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.I would like to call upon the county governments and especially those with a high malaria burden to allocate more resources towards malaria control' Now more than ever, there is the opportunity to make an impact in the health of the populations by addressing the challenge of malaria. Counties are closer to the communities and thus are uniquely placed to:
o
Engage communities
to enhance early detection and treatment of all malaria
CASCS;
o
Work with within the community health strategy to advocate for the appropriate and higher utilization of bed nets;
o
provide community and health facility capacity for diagnosis and treatment of malaria; and
.
Engage stakeholders within and outside the county to mobilize resources for malaria prevention and control.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
We still face challenges in the fight against malaria. The vector has resisted different chemicals that we have used to eliminate it. We are guarding against resistance to the
highly effective medicines currently in use. I wish to call upon our researchers to work
hard
to come up with
innovative methods
development of a malaria vaccine.
of malaria elimination including the
I also call upon health workers
country wide to
ensure rational use of anti-malarias to minimize episodes of drug resistance.
The country also has a challenge of inadequate financing for malaria interventions.
We need to mobili ze and also allocate more resources for disease prevention and control. In addition, I call upon the county governments as well to prioritize health in the planning and budgeting so as to invest more in preventive services.
T I wish to take this opportunity to thank our development
partners for continuously
I
thank the Global Fund to
supporting this country in malaria control. In particular,
fight AIDS, TB AND Malaria, the Governments of the United States and United Kingdom for their contribution in malaria control in this country. We look forward to continued partnership and collaboration for the good of the people of this country.
Your investments in Kenya have contributed immensely to saving lives in this country.
Finally, I wish to thank the Country Government of Kisumu for hosting the National event here and for your continued championing of malaria control in Kenya.
We should always work together to eliminate malaria from our country. So let us invest in the future so as to defeat malaria.
Thank you.
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