By Jane Kaye-Bailey | Founder of The Butterfly Tree
This year in Zambia there has been a serious outbreak in malaria, which is some areas has turned into an emergency. The environmental officers believe it is due to the unseasonable heavy rain which fell in March, leaving a considerable amount of stagnant water in rural areas. I am pleased to say that the areas in Mukuni, where we applied the new intervention, have not been affected.
The products we have introduced are a safe insecticidal coating and a granule. The inside of houses are coated with the safe insecticidal paint, then once a mosquito lands on the surface it will fly off and die. The other product is a granule, which is placed in stagnant water to prevent the larva developing ito mosquito. Both products are harmless to humans and animals.
This is an extract from a letter sent to us from the Ministry of Health:
‘The application of the products in eight communities in the Mukuni Chiefdom has contributed to the reduction of malaria in Mukuni area. This is because the chemicals are very effective in fighting the malaria vector.’
Sadly in other areas of the Kazungula District it was not the same story. Singwamba Health Centre recorded 3,245 cases of malaria. Included in these cases are the tragic deaths of twelve children aged between one and thirteen years. We have since applied the safe granules in mosquito breeding grounds, in the worst affected areas, to help the government with this emergency.
In addition we have provided the granules in the Ndola area, which is in the heart of the Copperbelt and has recorded the highest number of malaria cases so far this year. Not only does it risk the loss of life, but also loss of production in businesses when their employees contract malaria.
These products are not intended to replace mosquito nets, which are still the number one protection. They can work together to provide maximum protection, particularly for children under five and pregnant women. We have distributted a substantial amount of nets in rural villages in the District.
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