×
The Standard Group Plc is a multi-media organization with investments in media platforms spanning newspaper print operations, television, radio broadcasting, digital and online services. The Standard Group is recognized as a leading multi-media house in Kenya with a key influence in matters of national and international interest.
  • Standard Group Plc HQ Office,
  • The Standard Group Center,Mombasa Road.
  • P.O Box 30080-00100,Nairobi, Kenya.
  • Telephone number: 0203222111, 0719012111
  • Email: [email protected]

Sh5b plan to fight malaria launched

Health & Science

By LONAH KIBET

 KENYA: A five-year strategic plan to combat malaria has been unveiled.

 The ambitious campaign by the Kenya NGOs Alliance Against Malaria (KeNAAM) is estimated to cost Sh5 billion (US$53million).

 The 2013-2017 strategy will be implemented under an initiative dubbed Malaria ++, an integrated concept seeking to prevent childhood ailments.

The plan aims to achieve zero deaths from malaria and other related childhood diseases and will be implemented in 24 counties with the highest risk of malaria infections. Study mainly points to regions in Western, Nyanza and Coast.

Speaking during the launch, KeNAAM CEO Edward Mwangi said the strategy will focus on creating demand for health services and a conducive policy environment for investing in malaria and other health programmes.

Campaign target

Mr Mwangi noted that the campaign will target maternal and infant health and further work towards building community health systems.

“It will not make sense to prevent children from getting malaria and let them succumb to other childhood ailments,” said Mwangi.

 While pointing out that malaria was underfunded by 40 per cent, he also called for public-private partnerships in the fight against malaria.

 He said KeNAAM aims to complement government efforts in ensuring a healthy country.

KeNAAM is working on the strategic plan with other supporting partners such as African Medical Research Foundation, Smile Africa and Kenya Red Cross Society, among others.

 The United Nations Children’s Fund recent statistics show the crisis was worst in African countries where in an approximated 219 million global infection each year, there is an estimated 660,000 deaths, mostly children.

Recent statistics from the Kenya Malaria Indicator Survey showed malaria was the leading cause of deaths in the country with about 25 million Kenyans at risk of contracting the disease.

Related Topics


.

Trending Now

.

Popular this week