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Deputy Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Health, Dr Kolaatamo Malefho has said they have...

Deputy Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Health, Dr Kolaatamo Malefho has said they have failed to meet set targets in the malaria control programmes partly due to low uptake by communities.

He explained that implementing malaria control strategies is complex because it does not just dependent on how much they can deliver, but mainly on the acceptance by the communities. He explained that to address the obstacles, they have developed an advocacy and communication strategy to strengthen health education and community mobilisation.

He said that the insecticide treated nets have historically been in limited use in malaria endemic areas in Botswana even though they are being sold at highly subsidised prices at health facilities. "In the last few years, however there has been increased interest from partners to support insecticide treated nets distribution," he said. He added that mass distribution of long lasting nets has been piloted in Okavango. This has increased net ownership from 12.6 percent to 77 percent in 2009. "Plans are to scale up mass distribution to other districts by 2010 in order to achieve malaria elimination by 2015," he explained.

Malefho was speaking at the annual Malaria conference held at Cresta Lodge in Gaborone. The objective of the conference is to provide a forum for review of previous malaria transmission season and map the way forward and to share experiences and technical information. The conference is attended by health professionals from all over the country and ends tomorrow. It is held under the theme 'Prompt and efficient surveillance for a successful malaria elimination programme'.

Malefho said that in order to help countries achieve the 2010 roll back malaria target, the Global Malaria Action Plan has been launched. Malaria elimination in appropriate areas is core to the plan. Malefho stated that in response to the call to action, African Union Health Ministers launched a campaign to eliminate malaria in Botswana, Namibia, South Africa and Swaziland by 2015.

"This year's conference is very special as we meet after a comprehensive malaria programme that has identified gaps and developed recommendations on what needs to be done in order to achieve elimination," he said.