World Malaria Day takes place every year on April 25th. The theme for 2021 is 'Reaching the Zero Malaria Target'.
According to the World Health Organisation: 'Despite the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, a number of these countries reported zero indigenous malaria cases in 2020, while others made impressive progress in their journey to becoming malaria-free.'
The Butterfly Tree’s aim is to support the WHO’s goals for 2030:
- Reducing malaria case incidence by at least 90%
- Reducing malaria mortality rates by at least 90%
- Eliminating malaria in at least 35 countries
- Preventing a resurgence of malaria in all countries that are malaria-free
The Butterfly Tree, working with the Ministry of Health in Zambia, selects areas where malaria is most prevalent and aims to provide universal coverage in each community. Insecticidal coating, larviciding and mosquito nets provide maximum coverage.
In addition, a Medical Aid Film Company and The Butterfly Tree have teamed together to tackle malaria in Zambia. Combining educational knowledge and practical experience from many years of working at grass root level in Africa, we believe that we can help in the fight against malaria by eradicating it at the source. The Butterfly Tree has handed over the animated Medical Aid film on ‘How to prevent malaria’ to the Kazungula District Health Office. The video is now one of their main resource tools and is being used for training and education purposes in rural health centres and health posts, throughout the District.
This month we are distributing 850 mosquito nets as part of our 'mosquito nets for schools' programme, whereby each pupil and teacher takes possession of their own net, after which monitoring and evaluation will be done. We have also donated safe insecticidal coating and larvicide to Moomba Chiefdom which has seen an increase of malaria cases this year. The most likely reason for the increase is the health authorites delay in distributing internventions as COVID-19 took precendence over other health matters.
Once the inside of dwellings in Moomba have been painted and larvicide placed in areas of stagnant water a significant reduction of malaria cases is expected. As further funding becomes available we can protect more children against malaria in areas where the disease is most prevalent.
A mosquito nets costs just £6 or $9 and could save a child's life.
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According to a study from a leading University in London it is estimated that malaria deaths could more than double in 2020 compared with 2019 if the distribution of 228 million mosquito nets, for sub-Sahara Africa, is disrupted.
It is imperative to put measures in place now to reduce the burden on health systems as COVID-19 cases increase in Zambia.
The Butterfly Tree is committed to supporting the fight against malaria and is currently doing an appeal to raise more funding for mosquito nets in schools. The World Health Organisation states that more pregnant women and children are protected from malaria, but these are mainly children under five. What we have learnt from working with local enviromental health technicians is that school age children often get left out.
For the past three years our 'mosquito nets for schools' initiative has proved to be successful. Each pupils and teacher take ownership of a mosquito net. Where the project has been implemented evaluation has shown that the number of new cases of malaria has been considerably reduced.
A recent donation will enable us to provide mosquito nets for schools in Moomba Chiefdom in the Kazungula District of Zambia. Moomba is a very remote area and a several hour drive, mostly off-road, from Livingstone. In addition, we aim to paint the dwellings in Moomba with a safe insecticidal coating, which lasts for two years, and place larvicide granules in ponds and streams to prevent larva developing into mosquito.
Working with the Ministry of Health in Zambia priority will be given to areas with the highest prevalence of malaria. A mosquito net costs just $8 and could save a child's life.
April 25th marked World Malaria Day. This year the World Health Organisation, with seleced partners, is promoting a grassroots campaign called ‘Zero malaria starts with me.‘
The Butterfly Tree has been providing support to Zambia for malaria prevention since 2007, offering interventions that are proving to reduce the number of cases of malaria and helping to save lives.
With the current COVID-19 global pandemic malaria must not be overlooked. In 2018 there were an estimated 228 million cases of malaria and 405,000 deaths, down from 416,000 in 2017, showing that interventions are working. Sadly, 67% of deaths were children under the age of five.
Thanks to the tremendous support we have received The Butterfly Tree now has now has malaria prevention programmes in Mukuni, Nyawa, Sekute and Moomba Chiefdoms, in the Kazungula District of Southern Province. Universal coverage is provided with the use of mosquito nets, a safe insecticidal coating, which is painted inside dwellings, and larvicide. The latter when placed in ponds and streams prevents larva from developing into mosquitos.
Our ‘mosquito nets for schools' programme is helping to provide protection for children above five years, as this age group rarely get selected bu the Ministry of Heaslth as priority is given to pregnant women and under-fives. Every pupils and teacher is given a mosquito net and takes ownership, and monitoring takes place in order to track new cases of malaria.To date we have donated nets to thousands of children at River View, Sikaunzwe, Kauwe, Kamwi, Chuunga and Mambova Schools, this has considerabley reduced the number of malaria cases. Three more schools have recently been covered - Bunsanga, Chilaba and Malimba
We are delighted to have been selected for the second year running by a national women's group in the UK as one of their two charities of the year for 2020-21.
Thank you to everyone who has supported this vital programme.
ACCORDING TO THE WORLD HEALTH ORGANISATION THERE WERE:
The rainy season in Zambia is underway, which provides much needed respite from the severe drought that has been affecting the Western, Southern and parts of the Eastern Provinces. Rivers and streams are filling up, providing a source of water for communities and animals. Unfortunately, this is also the start of the malaria season.
During the past few months The Butterfly Tree has continued to increase the support in schools so that children are protected from malaria. Our 'mosquito nets for schools' has expanded and the following schools have each received a full allocation. Mambova Junior Secondary and Chuunga and Kamwi Primary Schools. Each pupil and teacher take ownership of the net to prevent contracting malaria. Records are kept at the school and we monitor the programme to see if there has been any absenteeism from school as a result of malaria.
The previous three schools, River View, Sikaunzwe and Kawewa, that have recieived a donation have not reported any cases of malaria since receiving our support.
Last month, we provided advanced protection for an area called Singwamba in Nyawa Chiefdom. The region has one of the highest prevelances of malaria in the Kazungula District. A team of local people, supervised by The Butterfly Tree's volunteer Environmental Officer, applied safe insecticidal coating to 364 dwellings. This should provide protection for up to two years.
In addition every pond, stream and areas of stagnant water were treated with a safe larvicide, which prohibits the larva from developing into mosquitos. Both products are harmless to humans and dwellings.
The World Health Organisation states that 70% of the world's malaria cases are concentrated in just 11 countries, Zambia is not included in this list. This proves that Zambia is making progess in helping to eliminate malaria. We will continue to raise funds and awareness, and would like to thank everyone who has supported this project.
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