World Malaria Day: Commemorative activities heat up

The Permanent Secretary of the National Malaria Control Programme, Dr Etienne Fondjo has updated the press on preparations leading to the World Malaria Day.

During his encounter with the media, the malaria control official indicated that from June 2015, some 12 million mosquito nets shall be distributed nationwide to boost the fight against malaria.

He said activities (which effectively began on Saturday 18th April 2015) end on 27th April 2015 which would be commemorated as the World Malaria Day in Cameroon.

As part of the activities an awareness march and demonstrations on the effective use of treated mosquito nets, MILDA were carried out.

Students of the Faculty of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences of the University of Yaounde I are this Monday 20th April 2015, involved in medical demonstration activities as part of the awareness programme.

World Malaria Day celebrated every 25th April was first commemorated in 2008. It is a day set aside by the World Health Organisation (WHO) to address major gaps in the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of malaria.

This year’s theme like in the past two years is “Invest in the future; Defeat malaria.”

Officials of the National Malaria Control Programme contend that their major challenge presently is to cut down malaria-related fatality by 75 per cent.

Dr Etienne Fondjo is calling on donor organisations to step up their support in the fight against malaria, malaria which is a primary cause of mortality in Cameroon.