Limpopians urged to remain alert as health department records two malaria deaths
Limpopo Health MEC, Dr Phophi Ramathuba, has urged the people of Limpopo to remain alert as the province experiences a spike in malaria cases.
Department spokesperson, Neil Shikwambana said the department has recorded 406 malaria cases with two deaths since the beginning of the malaria season.
Vhembe District recorded 196 cases and 1 death case, Mopani District, 184 cases and 1 death case, Waterberg district, 10 cases no death, Capricorn district, 10 cases, no death, and Sekhukhune district, 6 cases, no death. Shikwambana said these deaths are a result of a delay in patients seeking health care, presenting with complicated symptoms.
In 2020/2021, 3461 malaria cases and 19 deaths were recorded. Shikwambana said Vhembe and Mopani districts are the most affected districts when it comes to malaria cases with Sekhukhune district following suit to being a malaria hot-spot.
He said even though the number of cases is lower when compared to last year, it remains a cause for concern because it is a clear indication that they have not yet achieved their ambition of zero malaria infection.
Also read: Malaria spike expected: How to stay safe
Shikwambana said some parts of Limpopo are known malaria-endemic areas. He said the department has put in place 42 malaria teams in strategic places throughout the province to control the disease towards the ultimate elimination of malaria. The department has just launched and dispatched the malaria control team on a door-to-door campaign to test and treat as well as distribute flyers on malaria as a way to step up the fight against malaria.
He added that the department has over the past 15 years made considerable progress in reducing the evidence of malaria in the province.
“As we approach the rainy season, we continue to urge all malaria-prone communities to stay vigilant and immediately report any malaria-related case to the nearest clinic or primary health centre. We have so far trained surveillance teams consisting of environmental health practitioners (EHS) and spray operators who will be on the ground testing and treating malaria to increase the malaria programmer’s ability to reach most malaria-infected individuals and significantly decrease the malaria parasite reservoir in Limpopo.
“While the incidence of malaria has declined to lower levels, malaria remains a fatal disease if remained undiagnosed and untreated. Malaria is preventable, malaria is curable and malaria kills. Let’s make malaria fight our responsibility. Zero malaria infection starts with me,” said Ramathuba.
