BY MBONGENI NDLELA
MBABANE – Eswatini’s youth are finally getting more actively involved in the fight to eliminate malaria in the country. Today, the Minister of Health Lizzie Nkosi launched an unprecendented Eswatini Malaria Youth Army – which is the platform upon which youth will organise in the fight against malaria.
The Eswatini Malaria Youth Army was launched during the commemoration of World Malaria Day, which was held under theme, “Advance Equity. Build Resilience. End Malaria.”
Speaking during the launch, Minister Nkosi expressed it as commendible that the End Malaria Fund Board has assisted the Ministry in establishing the Youth Army which is now up and running. “We are today officially launching it and they’ll be soon filling up social media and other platforms with malaria elimination messages. As a Ministry, we are of the humble view that malaria elimination cannot be achieved without the involvement of all stakeholders,” said Minister Nkosi.
Echoing Minister Nkosi’s words, Minister of Sports, Culture & Youth Harries Bulunga encouraged the Eswatini Malaria Youth Army and all young people in the Kingdom to work in harmony and with the vigour and innovation, which are the hallmarks of young people, towards achieving malaria elimination in the Kingdom. “This is a platform that has been created firmly recognising that you, as young people, have the ideas to make our elimination drive more ingenious, inclusive and stronger,” added Minister Bulunga.
Also present during the launch was World Health Organisation (WHO) Representative Dr Kevin Makadzange, who said, “World Malaria Day today is an occasion to renew political commitment and encourage continued investment in malaria elimination. We remain fully committed to the elimination of malaria in Eswatini. We believe we can end malaria if we collaborate closely with the Government, partners & communities.”
The Eswatini Malaria Youth Army joins a global network of such youth movements which have been launched in countries including Zambia, Kenya, and Cameroon.
