Health officials in Zanzibar have said that the Islands are likely to experience problems in the fight against Malaria should major donors, including Global Fund and the United States government pull out from financing the project.
The warning was sounded at the end of two-day seminar on ‘the situation of Malaria in Zanzibar’ to journalists. Officials from the Zanzibar Malaria Control Programme (ZMCP) noted the funding has plummeted in the past two years.
The US through its President’s Malaria Initiatives (PMI) remains the leading financier with 56 per cent of the funds received for the malaria campaign. Global Fund is 40 per cent, WHO and UNICEF two per cent; other donors 1.97 per cent; and Zanzibar government is 0.03 per cent.
“We are happy that PMI has not shown any indication to pull out, but we must prepare ourselves and look for alternative financiers should the US stop supporting Malaria programme,” said Mr Khamis Kamugisha, PMI project accountant.
However, the Global Fund has not given Zanzibar funds in the past two years, affecting ‘Affordable Medicines Facility for Malaria (AMFm)’. According to the AMFm project coordinator in Zanzibar Dr Shija Joseph Shija, the project is now idle and patients may no longer get malaria medicines at subsided price.
After recording success using multiple interventions against malaria, Zanzibar has now set-up strategies to eliminate the problem. Malaria prevalence is below one-per cent from 38 per cent in 2006.
“Elimination is the language we would like to hear now and use against malaria. We are determined to make malaria a problem of the past,” said Mr Mwinyi Issa Msellem at the meeting with journalists.
He said the strategy for the elimination of malaria in Zanzibar includes increased surveillance and monitoring, diagnosis and treatment and Indoor Residual Sprays (IRS). He said plans are underway to introduce malaria testing at all entry points to Zanzibar, “at airports and seaports and unofficial ports in villages.
People from outside Zanzibar will be asked to have voluntary testing upon entry.” Other facilitators at the Malaria/media meeting held at Mwanakwerekwe said that use of Insecticide Long Lasting Treated Nets (LLINs) is another area of concentration in elimination campaign.
Meanwhile the USAID on Thursday donated 10 motorbikes (worth more than 60m/- ) to the Zanzibar Ministry of health, to be used in the ongoing anti-malaria campaign. The deputy ministry for the Health Dr Sira Ubwa Mamboya thanked the US for the motorbikes to be distributed in all the ten Zanzibar districts.
Mr Andrew Rebold from the USAID/PMI and the Volkan Cakir, director- regional office of RTI International, at the handing over ceremony, commended Zanzibar for the good work in fighting malaria.
By ISSA YUSSUF, Tanzania Daily News
