Youth Organization Assists Zimbabwean Health Ministry in Early Malaria Prevention
Baptist Youth Against Malaria was created by the youth, who sought to assist in malaria prevention.
Health officials say assistance from all organizations is necessary, and the organizations share a national strategic direction, in order to target all prone areas. Organizations are intensifying anti-malaria initiatives to target malaria cases ahead of the rainy season. Along with the World Health Organization and UNICEF, Youth groups such as the Association of Baptist Denominations Youth Fellowship are working to support the efforts of the government. The Baptist Youth Against Malaria initiative was launched last week has begun to purchase and distribute mosquito nets in areas such as Chiredzi. Paul Monacute director of Baptist World Aid, which is funding malaria efforts, says the program was created by the youth, who sought to assist in malaria prevention. He says these youth initiatives build up leaders, who will become responsible for social issues in Zimbabwe. Meanwhile the Health Ministry is deploying spraying teams to forty-five districts in Zimbabwe. The program began with training staff on the activities of spraying, and spraying will continue until the end of the year. The National Malaria Control Program manager Dr. Joseph Mberikunashe told VOA assistance from all organizations is necessary, and the organizations share a national strategic direction with them, in order to target all prone areas. He says over the past decade malaria cases have been reduced, and these partnering efforts continue to lower the number of cases.