Rwanda makes progress in malaria reduction

The day marked under the theme: “Zero Malaria Starts with Me, Time to innovate, focus and implement” featured an exhibition of innovative mechanisms adopted to fight malaria in the country such as drones used in spraying mosquito breeding grounds.

“To prevent malaria infection we need to sleep under treated mosquito bed nets, erase stagnant waters around our homes, clear bushes and seek timely treatment whenever one feels the malaria symptoms,” Dancille Nyirarugero, governor of Rwanda's Northern Province said at the national event in Gicumbi district.

Between 2018 and 2022 there was a 76 percent decline in malaria disease in Rwanda and a 73 percent decline in severe illness, according to data released by the Rwanda Biomedical Centre on Tuesday.

Simple cases reduced from 3.9 million to 998,874, severe malaria from 7,054 to 1,831 cases, while malaria-related deaths reduced by 73 percent, from 264 to 71 deaths, according to the data.

The Rwanda Biomedical Center attributes the decline to early diagnosis and treatment of malaria at the community level is crucial. 

Community health workers treat more than half of all malaria cases in Rwanda.

Gallican Rwibasira, who represented the Rwandan Health Ministry, said the government remains committed to working closely with residents to end malaria through investment in evidence-based interventions and innovative approaches.

 “The success of combating malaria in Rwanda is extraordinary: from 2018 to 2022 there was a reduction of malaria of 76 percent, which has never been achieved in any other country,” Robin Martz, the health office director at USAID Rwanda said at the event.

“Investments in malaria prevention and treatment tools, along with the training and equipping of health workers, have advanced Rwanda’s progress against the disease while strengthening the country’s health system,” she said.

Martz said countries such as Rwanda are using proven and cost-effective methods to keep people safe from malaria and help families forge a healthier and more prosperous future.

Malaria kills roughly 600,000 people globally each year, mostly children who are vulnerable, and sickens more than 200 million people, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).