06 Mar 2025

Chobe District has recorded 39 malaria cases with no deaths from last year October to date.

In an interview yesterday,  Chobe District Health Management Team (DHMT) head of Preventative Services, Dr Clement Mukadi stated that 36 of the cases were local while three were from outside the country.

He said all the Malaria patients whether they had mild or severe symptoms were admitted upon diagnosis as a precautionary measure to ensure they took the treatment accordingly, adding that the strategy minimised complications and mortality.

Dr Mukadi said they registered one case of an under five infection, which he noted was risky because infants, toddlers, the elderly and pregnant women fell under vulnerable groups. He pointed that Chobe DHMT conducted an indoor residual spray (IRS) in all villages in the district except Kasane and Kazungula which were set aside for mosquito nets supply.

However, he expressed dissatisfaction with the IRS exercise in the district having reached 50.3 per cent against the 85 target of the district. He said Parakarungu and Satau achieved the largest coverage with 74 and 67 per cent respectively with Lesoma at the lowest with 28 per cent.

“This low coverage is worrisome especially with high amounts of rainfall received this season and the projected Chobe River inflow,’’ he said.

Dr Mukadi attributed the low coverage to some people refusing to open their houses for spraying and constant rains since January impeding people to move their belongings outside. He said a mass distribution of mosquito nets in Kasane and Kazungula would commence next week whereas IRS exercise has come to an end.

He stated that the distribution of nets targeted certain areas where there were many cases recorded in the past like Newstance, Kgaphamadi and Flowertown. Dr Mukadi warned the public against thick vegetation and unclean environment hence advised them to cut grass, throw away old tyres and materials that are a common breeding ground for mosquitos.

He indicated that the signs and symptoms for malaria included fever, headache, body pains and dizziness, and therefore alerted the public to seek medical assistance immediately when they noticed the symptoms. He said DHMT was currently undertaking training of health workers across the all health facilities in the district to conduct surveillance and be on the lookout. ENDS