Dar es Salaam- Tanzania marked the World Malaria Day on 25 April, with top leadership of the country showcasing commitment to uplift the agenda to end malaria by 2030. The Prime Minister, Kassim Majaliwa, representing the President at the commemorations in Dar es Salaam initiated the national End Malaria Council.   

“We have come a long way in the national effort to end malaria, it we supercharge our efforts, we will surely eliminate malaria in Tanzania. We should not relax because of the success we have got,” said t he Prime Minister.

At the occasion the minister of information Honorable Nape Mnauye, reflected the multisectoral calling by directing public media corporation to set routine programs to promote effort to end malaria. He also argued private media houses to do the same.

A recent report of the ministry of health showed malaria affects disproportionally households in low-income tier.

“It is imperative to test anyone that has malaria symptoms and ensuring that they complete their dosses, so the parasites do not develop resistance to available drugs,” emphasized the prime minister Majaliwa.

The 19-member national End Malaria Council was launched at the commemorations. With expansive members from academia, politics, religious groups, business, sports and entertainment, the council’s task is raising the malaria elimination agenda and raising domestic resources to facilitate ending malaria in Tanzania by 2030.

Represented by Dr. Galbert Fedjo, the Country Representative of WHO in Tanzania commended Tanzania for formation of the End Malaria Council.

“Fighting against malaria vectors will require multisectoral actions and the involvement and communities to sustain behavioral change and uptake of the tools concurrent with a robust research and development,” he said.

With seven years to elimination deadline, malaria transmission rate has gradually decreased from 14.8 percent in 2015 to 8.1 percent in 2022

A recent mid-term evaluation of the malaria program in Tanzania reported that  Malaria Mortality rate in Health      facilities      per 100,000 population was 2.2,  a great achievement resulting from recent efforts of strengthening malaria diagnosis and treatment. It means, fewer people are now dying from malaria.

Tanzania is one of the four countries in Africa in addition to Nigeria, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Niger that accounted for slightly over half (52%) of all malaria deaths globally in 2021.

The United Republic of Tanzania alone accounted for 4% of all malaria deaths. The disease continues to pose a major burden in the Northwest and Southeastern regions of the country.

Within Tanzania the prevalence rate varies geographically with the highest rate at 23 percent and the lowest at one percent.

Malaria remains an important public health problem globally and in 2021 there were 247 million malaria cases and 619,000 deaths from 84 endemic countries.

This data translates to an increase of 2 million more malaria cases in 2021 compared with 2020. Of note is that as a result of concerted efforts, there was a decrease of 6,000 deaths due to malaria in 2021 compared to 2020.

The theme for this year is “Time to deliver zero malaria: invest, innovate, implement.”   It fits with the appeal to accelerate progress, rethinking and revitalizing strategies by investing, innovating and implementing smartly.