Mozambique will see fewer malaria cases but more deaths until March

Mozambique recorded 3.1 million cases of malaria until March, down 21% in a year, but the number of deaths caused by the disease rose to 110, the director of the National Malaria Control Program said this Wednesday.

“In the first quarter of this year, we registered an increase in mortality. We have already recorded 110 deaths in hospitals, compared to 102 deaths in the same period last year. This increase in mortality, more than 50% occurs in the province of Cabo. Delgado and Nampula,” said Baltasar Candriño in an interview with Lusa, looking forward to World Disease Day, which is celebrated annually on April 25.

He added that around 3.1 million cases of malaria were reported in the first three months of this year alone, compared to four million in 2022, representing a 21% reduction year-on-year.

Despite this, the number of malaria deaths in Mozambique is trending downward, with 357 deaths recorded in 2023 compared to 423 in 2022, according to Baltasar Candrinho.

However, the number of cases has increased, with 13 million cases recorded in 2023 versus 12.4 million in 2022, an increase of 17%, the official said.

According to Balthazar Candriño, “malaria continues to be an important public health problem” in Mozambique, adding that the government continues to make efforts to stop the disease: “One of the measures is [para travar a malária] there was a nationwide distribution of mosquito nets. We have distributed almost 16 million nets through campaigns and almost two million through antenatal clinics.”

He also said that “the overall malaria death trend in the country is decreasing” thanks to national efforts to ensure that people receive “treatment and we ensure the availability of drugs and tests” in health facilities.

Lusa said this month that Mozambique wants to halve hospital deaths from malaria by 2026 and eliminate local transmission of the disease by 2030 in 20 districts of the country, with support from the Global Fund.

At stake is the international health body’s $789.3 million (€735.5 million) support for Mozambique in the form of four grants for programs to combat malaria, HIV/AIDS and tuberculosis, and to strengthen health systems , launched from 2024 to 2026. in Maputo, April 10.

The $190.3 million (€177.3 million) malaria grant for planned case management and vector control activities estimates it will “help reduce the burden of disease” to 392 cases per 1,000 in 2022 year. up to 294 cases per 1,000 in 2026, according to the Ministry of Health.

The project also aims to reduce hospital mortality from malaria from 1.4 per 100,000 in 2021 to 0.77 per 100,000 in 2026, “eliminate local transmission of malaria by 2030 in at least 20 areas with low transmission” and resolve problems of cross-border transmission of malaria. , “contributing to the elimination of malaria” in the southern African region.