LET’S INVEST IN MALARIA TECHNOLOGY – FASTON GOMA

By Lumbiwe Mwanza

 ZAMBIA needs to adequately invest in technology which will help eliminate the mosquito as a vector to infectious diseases such malaria, dengue fever, and zika among others, the Zambia Non Communicable Diseases Alliance has said.

 According to UNICEF data, in 2021, there were 247 million malaria cases globally that led to 619,000 deaths in total. Of these deaths, 77 per cent were children under five years of age, translating into a daily toll of over 1000 children under age of 5.

 Speaking to The Scoop, Alliance president Faston Goma said that it was unfortunate that other research indicates that Africa was projected to see a rise in mosquito borne diseases such as dengue fever and zika and others apart from malaria, the situation he said called for concern in countries like Zambia which currently do not have the diseases.

Professor Goma expressed concern that there are more infectious diseases coming up despite interventions, with the possibility of diseases that had been eradicated coming back.

 He said that with communicable diseases having the ability to spread over a short period of time, it was worrying that they could be more lethal and kill more people.

“Reports therefore that Africa is expected to see an increase in mosquito borne diseases apart from malaria should worry the country and investment is needed in eliminating the vector which in this case is the mosquito,” professor Goma said.

 He said that it was unfortunate that the country was still facing challenges of non-communicable diseases adding that to this effect, collaborations and investments should be scaled up with the view to create a healthier population.