Africa-Press – Cape verde. The Ministry of Health launched a training program this Wednesday to reinforce vector control agents at the Praia Health Delegation, in order to address the increase in malaria cases, which currently total 98.
“This is aimed at improving our actions in areas where we have seen an increase and trying to reduce the density of adult mosquitoes that can increase transmission,” said Yorleydis Rosabal, the acting National Director of Health, to the press on the sidelines of the two-day training.
According to the acting director, the actions in this case are being reinforced, not only in terms of increasing the number of agents to respond on the ground, but also in other actions related to risk communication with the population and combating mosquitoes and larvae at the community level.
In this process, the health sector representative added that the fight has been “intensive” and daily, with monitoring of emerging cases for an intradomiciliary and peridomiciliary approach.
Regarding the registered malaria cases, Yorleydis Rosabal stated that what has been observed so far is that they are simple cases, both imported and local, which are being classified as several criteria must be taken into account to define whether it is an introduced or autochthonous case.
As for the most critical areas, she pointed to the Fontão, Covão and surrounding areas of Palmarejo, with cases starting from January to October and with an increase of around 3 to 18 in the last two months.
We know that Cape Verde has been certified as a malaria-free country; to what levels could we reach to not try to reduce this community transmission and therefore safeguard this certification?
When questioned about the requirement for a test proving that travelers were not infected two days before traveling, the same source clarified that the Ministry of Health is managing the situation, emphasizing that cases coming from countries in the region are monitored.
In this regard, she appeals to people with any symptoms to seek healthcare facilities and alerts the population to be vigilant when people from endemic countries refer them to healthcare facilities for diagnosis and treatment.
During the training, which was attended by 20 agents from the municipality of Praia, the sector representative added that agents will be reinforced in municipalities where this need is felt, particularly in Boa Vista.
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