DR Congo needs immediate collaboration with East African Countries to combat malaria

There is a need to partner with the Democratic Republic of Congo and all East African Countries require to establish cross-border measures in fighting malaria.

The World Health Organization Malaria Report released in 2018 stated that DR Congo is among five countries that account for nearly half of the cases. Some 15 countries in sub-Saharan Africa and India carry almost 80 per cent of the global malaria burden.

Five countries accounted for nearly half of all malaria cases worldwide with Nigeria accounting for 25 per cent, DR Congo 11 per cent, Mozambique 5 per cent, India 4 per cent, and Uganda 4 per cent. The HIV and AIDS Principal Officer at the East African Countries Secretariat, Michael Katende opined devising cross-border collaboration to combat the epidemic would be helpful to the region.

“The East African Countries treaty allows for free movement of people across borders in East Africa. These East Africans are also crossing to DR Congo. If we have a high incidence of malaria in DR Congo, it will affect the region, even if we have tried to control it in our own territories,” he noted.

The cross-border partnership intended to establishing systems and structures will be significant in controlling the disease, he added. He reflected on the importance of bringing DR Congo onboard for discussions to make sure that the epidemic is controlled in the East African Community, as well as stop cases that are imported from neighbouring countries.

“At the end of the day we should be in a position to control altogether and, therefore, have a bigger impact,” he further cited. He clarified that there are also discussions focused on cross-border collaboration with DR Congo on controlling Ebola and other diseases.

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