Posts or Comments 29 March 2024

Elimination &IPTp &ITNs Bill Brieger | 27 Oct 2015 04:18 am

Winning the fight against malaria in Huambo Province, Angola

Colleagues[1] from the Ministry of Health, Huambo, Angola and Jhpiego are presenting a poster at the 64th ASTMH Annual Meeting in Philadelphia at noon on Tuesday 27th October 2015. Please stop by Poster LB-5246 and discuss the results as presented in the Abstract below.

Angola malaria mapHuambo is on of Angola’s 18 provinces, with close to 2 million inhabitants. Traditionally malaria has accounted for a large portion of clinic consultations, hospitalizations, and child and maternal mortality. Angola has three epidemiological strata: hyper-endemic area (north), meso-endemic stable area (central area), where Huambo is located, and meso-endemic unstable area (south).

The main malaria vector is Anopheles gambiae (ss, melas and arabiensis) and Anopheles funestus. Parasitological studies show 85% of cases are P falciparum and 15% are P vivax.

The Huambo Provincial Health Directorate has been working with stakeholders including national and international NGOs, traditional leaders, churches, religious leaders, police, army and media to fight malaria. This collaboration is showing results.

Huambo ProgressCases have dropped steadily from 620,300 in 2008 to 68,547 in 2014. Likewise deaths have declined from 1,559 to 17 in the same period. During this period there has been an increase in training and supervision of health professionals to improve their malaria prevention, diagnosis and treatment skills.

Rapid diagnostic tests have been deployed to all health units. Work with community organizations has resulted in health fairs (Uhayele Vimbo) in more remote locations. Over the most recent 5-year period the number of antenatal care clients receiving two doses of IPTp with SP has increased from 10,938 to 68,183 or from 30% to 54%.

Finally 330,000 ITNs were distributed between 2010 and 2014. The Province and its organizational and community partners are committed to sustaining these achievements in order to further reduce malaria morbidity and mortality.

[1] João Carlos F. Juliana, Jhony Juarez, Clementino Sacanombo, William R. Brieger

 

One Response to “Winning the fight against malaria in Huambo Province, Angola”

  1. on 28 May 2016 at 11:15 am 1.Martin Okwir said …

    Please share the power point presnetation

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