Tanzania government releases status of malaria prevalence in councils

Dar es Salaam. The government has released a list of ten district and township councils with high malaria prevalence and 14 others with prevalence below 0.1 per cent.

The list was released on Monday, October 22, 2018 by the health minister Ummy Mwalimu during the second phase of the launching of the Tanzania Malaria Indicator Survey (TMIS) for 2017.

The first launch of the report was done in Kigoma Region on April 25, 2018 during the World Malaria Day.

The survey of the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) indicates that the malaria disease prevalence rate dropped from 14.4 per cent in 2015 to 7.3 per cent in 2017.

Speaking during the event today, Ms Mwalimu named the councils with high prevalence and their percentage in brackets as Kakonko (30.8), Kasulu DC (27.6), Kibondo DC (25.4),  Kigoma DC (25.1), Buhigwe (24), Geita DC (22.4), Nanyamba TC (19.5), Muleba DC (19.4) and Mtwara DC (19.1).

"But 14 ,ouncils with malaria prevalence less than 0.1 per cent include Mbulu TC,  Mbulu DC,  Hanang, Siha, Hai, Moshi MC and Mwanga DC," she said.

Others are Kondoa TC, Meru DC,  Arusha,  Arusha DC,  Monduli,  Ngorongoro DC and Rombo DC."

Ms Mwalimu said the government will allocate enough resources in the areas with high prevalence rates  to ensure the prevalence is reduced by 2020.

"In this regard, the health officials at the council levels are directed to intensify inspection in households, instead of regular inspections at the butcheries and markets where they might have personal gains, in the country’s efforts to improve general cleanliness," she said.

According to her, the priority will be put in destroying mosquitoes breading sites, intensify testing of disease infection and provision of mosquito nets.

Earlier, the NBS director general Dr Albina Chuwa said; "This is evidence based decision making which will take the country to the expected destination in terms of malaria control as compared to opinion based decision making," she said.

She called upon councils reported to have under performed in this year's survey to work hard and bring the figures down because higher prevalence negatively affected implementation of the country’s industrialisation agenda.

For his part, the chairman of the parliamentary committee on social services and community development Mr Peter Serukamba called upon councils to pass by-laws that will force households to own and use mosquito nets across the country.