Busia county intensifies efforts to curb malaria

Busia Deputy Governor Arthur Odera during the launch of the 3rd Phase of Larval Source Management at Teso Central Sub-County to curb malaria prevalence, on March 18, 2025. [Benard Lusigi, Standard] Busia County Government Department of Health and Sanitation has partnered with the End Malaria Council to curb malaria cases. According to the data from the Department of Health, the malaria prevalence rate is six times higher than the national average and three times higher than in other lake-endemic counties. The malaria prevalence rate in Busia stands at 39 per cent, and the disease is responsible for 13 per cent of deaths. Busia Deputy Governor Arthur Odera said the initiative will complement other antimalarial efforts including Indoor residual spraying and distribution of treated mosquito nets. Odera noted that malaria infections reached extreme levels in 2023. "This is a great initiative in reducing the malaria prevalence burden in the county and this will complement the indoor residual spraying initiative to reduce the malaria burden and infection in the county," he said. Chief Officer for Public Health Susan Outa reported a noticeable drop in malaria prevalence due to multiple control interventions. The Larval Source Management programme will cover 44 breeding sites before and after rainfall, with plans to involve Community Health Promoters in the campaign. According to Dr Willis Afwande, Secretary to End Malaria Council, the previous phase treated approximately 17,000 hectares of breeding grounds, resulting in a remarkable 95 per cent reduction in adult mosquito populations that would have caused infections. Valerian Karani, County Malaria Control Coordinator revealed that about 40 per cent of all outpatient visits in Busia Health facilities are due to malaria, with 2 per cent of deaths attributed to severe cases. "Our recently concluded Indoor Residual Spraying campaign achieved 101 per cent coverage, protecting 76 per cent of our population by treating 265,333 structures," he added. Karani explained that 117 healthcare worker trainers had been trained and are expected to pass on the skills to spraying operators. "Our governor, in collaboration with the national government and other development partners, is committed to reducing malaria prevalence in the county from 39 per cent to 25 per cent. We have completed a 'Masters of Trainers' course, where we trained over 100 healthcare workers ahead of the IRS campaign. They will now use the knowledge and skills they have gained to teach Spraying Operators the proper methods," Karani said. He emphasized that the exercise is crucial in reducing malaria-related fatalities, particularly among children under five. Karani said claims that the chemicals used in the pesticide sterilise men and cause infertility in women were unfounded. The innovative approach utilises biolarvicide administered by drones to reach even the most inaccessible breeding sites targeting and eliminating mosquito larvae before they mature into adults, hence reducing malaria transmission. Two months ago, the county government and the Presidential Malaria Initiative (PMI) embarked on the second phase of a campaign to eliminate mosquito breeding grounds in villages. The spraying aimed to target 80,000 households in a bid to reduce malaria infections. According to the 2020 Kenya Malaria Indicator Survey (KMIS), malaria accounted for 40 per cent of all outpatient cases in the border county. The first phase of the initiative was launched on January 31 and ran until February 27, 2024, across the six sub-counties of Teso South, Nambale, Matayos, Butula, Samia, and Bunyala.

Busia county intensifies efforts to curb malaria

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