WE hail authorities in Choma, the Southern Province headquarters, for making progress in distributing insecticide-treated mosquito nets (ITNs) to expectant mothers and the under five children.
The effort to reduce malaria cases, particularly among expectant mothers in rural areas who are vulnerable to the disease, is commendable bearing in mind the grave consequences if disease is left untreated.
It is also heartening to note that although the district has in the last few years recorded a reduction in malaria cases, the Government has remained resolute in protecting the residents against malaria.
The exercise should be extended to other districts in the country to ensure that children are protected from mother-to-child infections.
Malaria is a dangerous disease that can have devastating effects on the fetus and the newborn child if untreated.
Malaria-associated maternal illness and low birth weight is mostly a result of plasmodium falciparum infection and occurs predominantly in Africa.
The symptoms and complications of malaria in pregnancy vary according to malaria transmission intensity in the given geographical area, and the individual’s level of acquired immunity.
However, in Zambia authorities have in most cases been ahead of things in combating this disease that threatens the lives of everybody.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) states that malaria threatens at least 24 million pregnancies each year in Africa, a continent that is most affected.
According to the World Bank, more than one million people die every year from malaria—mostly young children.
Thus protecting populations at risk of malaria is the focus of a global effort to ‘roll back malaria’, which Zambia is heavily involved in.
While the use of effective drugs and protective bed nets is reducing the toll of malaria in several African countries, continuing and expanded efforts are needed to protect the health of pregnant women and children.
Most of the 300 million to 500 million cases of malaria each year occur in sub-Saharan Africa, including Zambia.
Although many people living in areas where malaria is widespread develop immunity to the disease, a pregnant woman’s risk of infection increases due to changes in her hormone levels and immune system.
First-time mothers are especially vulnerable since pregnant women suffering from malaria are at increased risk of anemia and miscarriage, and their babies are at risk of stillbirth, prematurity, intrauterine growth retardation and low birth weight.
According to the Malaria and Pregnancy Network, a group created to share information on malaria and pregnancy among those working on malaria research and control, and in maternal and reproductive health, malaria causes up to 15 per cent of maternal anemia and about 35 per cent of preventable low birth weight.
In Third World countries like Zambia, continuing efforts are needed to reduce the toll of malaria on maternal and child health.
The specific actions that policy makers and programme managers should include are the establishment and implementation of new, national, evidence-based protocols for use of anti-malarial drugs in pregnancy.
Fortunately, Zambia is among leading countries regionally in this crusade to create a no-malaria zone.
It is for this reason that we feel the Government’s efforts in distributing the ITNs to expectant mothers and under five children is a plus in quality health provision.