Ethiopia: Leading African country in eradicating malaria
Malaria and Other Vector-Borne Diseases Prevention and Control Team Acting Head with the ministry, Dr. Daddi Jima told WIC that the report issued by the World Health Organization (WHO) last February verified this fact.
The report said the country has cut the number of malaria patients by over 50 percent and child death from malaria by over 60 percent, he added.
Besides, malaria epidemic has broken out in only 10 villages in 2007 as compared to 2000 villages in 2003/04, according to Dr. Daddi.
Mosquito net coverage reached 100 percent by last January, he also pointed out.
The ministry has protected close to 50 million people from malaria by distributing 20.4 million mosquito nets and treated 4.6 million patients this budget year, it was learnt.
Elaborating on the current status of malaria in the country, the Acting Head said no malaria epidemic has so far been reported in the country.
Yet preparations are underway to pre-empt malaria in the upcoming rainy season by spraying 1800 tones of DDT in the coming months, Dr. Daddi concluded.
