New Era

WINDHOEK

Health ministers of eight SADC countries are meeting in Windhoek to establish a cross-border approach for the elimination of malaria.
The Malaria Elimination Ministerial Meeting has brought together health ministers of frontline countries - Namibia, Botswana, South Africa and Swaziland and their counterparts from the second line countries - Angola, Mozambique, Zambia and Zimbabwe.
The ministers will develop a functional mechanism for elimination support according to the needs of the two groups of countries, agree on a framework for financing and commit to supporting key cross-border initiatives, which will move the region's elimination agenda forward.
It is believed that intensifying control in the southern African region, high transmission countries contribute to the achievement of elimination in low burden countries. In addition to this, elimination in low burden countries will result in eliminating malaria up to their northern border and propel their northern neighbours to move to the next phase of progressive elimination.
The Lubombo Spatial Development Initiative between South Africa and Swaziland is a case in point. The collaboration between the two countries has seen a reduction in prevalence rates by more than 90 percent in target areas.
African Union health ministers in 2007 launched the Africa Malaria Elimination Campaign and agreed to transition eligible AU countries from malaria control to elimination.
The southern African region also followed suit and agreed to eliminate malaria from eligible countries.
Prime Minister Nahas Angula said, when he opened the meeting, the elimination of malaria will have an impact on child development, improve productivity and growth in the region and free up resources for development within the region.
The region will also see growth in tourism and foreign investment once malaria is eliminated, he said.
In highly endemic countries, malaria causes losses of 1.3 percent in economic growth every year, according to studies.
Malaria related diseases in Africa are responsible for the death of more than 300Â 000 people every year.
Angula said while the world is preoccupied with battling the economic crisis, countries should also ensure they continue with the intervention programmes to eliminate the disease.
"Let us seriously consider the positive financial and economic implications of malaria elimination for our region. It is an investment with very high returns," he added.
The Prime Minister said the success of the concept of the Elimination 8, in which four frontline countries will pave the way for malaria elimination for their northern neighbours, lies in the extent to which countries partner with their neighbours.
The World Health Organisation earmarked the four frontline countries for elimination due to their low transmission status and other favourable epidemiological and climatic conditions.
Health and Social Services Minister, Dr Richard Kamwi, said neighbours with higher transmission are critical in elimination strategies because malaria vectors know no borders.
He said frontline countries will benefit from zero transmission, as this will provide a foundation for them to progressively reduce transmission and eliminate malaria from the countries.
"Malaria is a challenge that knows no borders, and therefore must be tackled with similar strategies that equally know no borders. When we consider the movement of our people across borders and the import and export of cases, we appreciate the imperative of cross border collaboration and of a regional approach to elimination," Kamwi added.
Ministers of health of the Elimination 8 countries, their deputies and officials of the various ministries of health, officials from SADC, WHO Namibia, Roll Back Malaria, World Bank, UNCEF and several international agencies are attending the meeting, which ends today.

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