BY MUSA MARANGA
Health ministry cabinet secretary(CS) Susan Nakhumicha has announced a changed approach to malaria control measures terming it a paradigm shift based on preventive and promotion mechanisms.
The shift will see the government, development partners and communities embrace innovation, investment and implement strategies in dealing with the tropical disease.
Speaking at Ekerenyo in Nyamira to mark World Malaria Day, Nakhumicha explained Kenya’s downgraded status globally into a third developing country, meaning it will attract reduced funding from donors.
“There was a need for the government to come up with new methods in the fight against malaria, same as creating, investing, and implementing the efforts,” she observed.
According to Nakhumicha, the government has transformed through training and equipping of Community Health Promoters, formerly community health volunteers to tackle the malaria menace at the household level.
The promoters will register, diagnose a myriad of ailments and recommend the residents for further medication while spraying mosquito breeding areas and also mobilizing them to observe hygienic standards.
She commended the Nyamira county government for reducing the malaria prevalence rate from 8.9% to 1% against the national rate of 11%.
The CS urged the county government to invest in health staff if malaria hints at an underway policy to assist devolved units manage the human resource.
Education Ministry CS Ezekiel Machogu who was the guest of honor urged the residents to cooperate with the national government in combating the disease which he said was still considered disruptive to socio-economic activities unless it was tamed globally.
Machogu called for personal involvement in the fight against malaria and faulted men for refusing to be tested by the promoters when they came visiting their homes.