BY BANELE MAGONGO
MBABANE – Minister of Health, Mduduzi Matsebula, was presented with malaria drugs worth E1 million by the End Malaria Fund to support the fight against malaria yesterday at Central Medical Stores (CMS) in Matsapha.
The Minister stated that the donations were an important milestone in the fight against malaria and expressed hope that with these resources, the country would be able to achieve malaria elimination.
He also thanked the End Malaria Fund for its generosity and support. The Minister went on to say that these donations would have a significant impact on the country’s efforts to combat the disease and that he was honored to be part of such an important event.
According to Matsebula the End Malaria Fund had demonstrated its commitment to supporting the Ministry of Health in its efforts to eliminate malaria.
The fund receives donations from private and public sectors, as well as civil society, to bridge resource gaps and accelerate progress. The minister acknowledged that the fund was a representative of all sectors and was working to increase public awareness about malaria and the importance of the ministry’s interventions.
He noted that these efforts had resulted in high levels of malaria literacy among the people of Eswatini. The Minister emphasised the importance of Emaswati coming together to fight malaria, noting that this was reflected in the high uptake of mefloquine as a prophylaxis for travelers to malaria-endemic regions.
The shortage of mefloquine in October of the previous year led to an increase in malaria cases the following January, with a majority of cases being imported. Data indicates that 77 percent of malaria cases during this period were among Swazi nationals who had traveled to malaria-endemic areas without taking chemoprophylaxis.
The Minister noted that primaquine is an essential malaria gametocide that works in conjunction with other malaria interventions to hasten the progress of the malaria elimination initiative by eradicating parasites from confirmed uncomplicated malaria cases.
However, the stock of primaquine previously available in the country had expired in 2022, and attempts to procure more had been unsuccessful due to the small quantity required. The Minister expressed gratitude to the End Malaria Fund for facilitating the procurement of both primaquine and mefloquine, allowing individuals traveling to malaria-endemic regions.
Minister Matsebula reaffirmed the Eswatini government’s commitment to eliminating malaria. He praised the End Malaria Fund for its work in bridging resource gaps and supporting the government’s efforts to achieve this goal.
The Minister commended the public for their generous donations through the border campaign, which have helped the Fund to purchase critical drugs and improve access to treatment. He urged the public to continue supporting the Fund, and reminded travelers to get mefloquine from Public Health Units before their journeys.
