Govt urged to allocate funds to anti-malaria program

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The parliamentary committee on health has called on government to consider allocating a certain percentage of money in the ministry of health budget towards Indoor Residue Spray (IRS) Program in a drive to reduce the occurrence of Malaria cases in the country.

Chairperson of the committee, Dr. Matthews Ngwale, made the call in Balaka after leading a delegation of members of parliament from the health committee to various sites in the district where world vision Malawi has been implementing the program.

According to Ngwale, the program has significantly reduced Malaria occurrences in the impact areas hence calling on government to consider making the program universal.

”Research has shown that world vision Malawi through IRS project the fight against Malaria has been awesome. However, as a country, we cannot go on depending on donors to support us. Instead, we must be in the forefront in the battle,” Ngwale said.

Speaking in an interview, world vision chief of Party responsible for Global fund grants, Dr. Bizwick Mwale, expressed satisfaction that the program has lived up to expectations.

According to Mwale, it is more pleasing noting that the program has drastically reduced Malaria related deaths especially among children who are mostly vulnerable to the disease.

Mwale said about 2 million people have been protected from the disease in the impact areas which represent 96% surpassing their earlier  target of 85%.

Sakina James of Mkwekwere village, traditional authority Amidu in the district is one of the beneficiaries of the program. She says the program has really transformed her family’s life as malaria and other ailments are now only history.

”Before the program, Malaria in my family was a big challenge. However, the coming of world vision with IRS has completely changed the whole story. We are now living a healthy life, focusing on household and our community development,” she narrated.

World Vision Malawi has been implementing the program in three districts of Balaka, Mangochi and Nkhata Bay with financial assistance from the Global Fund.

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