Africa-Press – Mozambique. The pilot phase of malaria chemoprophylaxis in Inhambane is showing encouraging results, with a significant – around 37% – reduction in cases of the disease in the province, the Provincial Director of Health there reports.
Inhambane province in southern Mozambique has historically been one of those worst affected by malaria, a disease that affects millions of Mozambicans annually. Characterized by climatic conditions favourable to the proliferation of the Anopheles vector mosquito, Inhambane until recently faced significant challenges in controlling the disease. However, concentrated efforts in recent years are bringing positive results.
According to Provincial Director of Health Carlos Estêvão, around 925,000 cases of malaria were registered in the province in 2023, representing a high incidence rate in relation to the population. In the same year, 15 people lost their lives due to the disease. In 2024, the situation improved considerably: cases fell to 613,000, with only six deaths reported.
This progress, which represents a reduction of almost 37% in the number of diagnoses and a sharp decrease in mortality, is the result of a set of integrated prevention, diagnosis and treatment strategies, in addition to the active cooperation of local communities.
Despite the progress, the authorities emphasize that malaria continues to be a threat and that the ultimate goal remains ambitious: the total elimination of the disease.
“We cannot rest yet. Our goal is to reach the ‘zero malaria’ milestone, and this requires a continuous and integrated effort,” said Carlos Estêvão, Provincial Director of Health of Inhambane. Among the most effective strategies in combating malaria, the use of insecticide-impregnated mosquito nets stands out. Since 2022, the government, in partnership with international organizations, has distributed thousands of nets to families in urban and rural communities.
The nets, impregnated with long-lasting insecticides, act as a physical and chemical barrier against mosquitoes that transmit the disease, especially at night, when the risk of bites is greatest. Studies conducted in beneficiary communities indicate that regular use of the nets reduces exposure to the vector mosquito by up to 70%. However, to achieve these results, it is essential that families are made aware of their proper use. “There was a significant social communication effort to educate families on how and why to use the nets,” explained Estêvão.
In addition to the nets, indoor spraying is a complementary measure that has shown consistent results. This technique, which consists of applying insecticides to the interior walls of homes, interrupts the mosquito’s life cycle, reducing its population inside and around the homes. Launched in 2021 as part of a long-term strategy, the spraying campaign has the ambitious goal of covering at least 90% of homes by 2030.
One of the challenges faced is ensuring that communities allow technicians access to their homes. To this end, awareness-raising programmes led by health activists have been implemented, explaining the benefits of spraying and dispelling myths about the potential risks of insecticides.
“The acceptance of spraying has improved significantly over the last two years, and this has been crucial to the reduction in malaria cases that we are now seeing,” highlighted the provincial director.
Another highlight of Inhambane’s malaria control strategies is seasonal chemoprophylaxis, an innovative intervention that was introduced in 2023 in the Massinga district. This pilot programme, carried out in collaboration with the Manhiça Health Research Centre, aims to protect children, one of the groups most vulnerable to malaria.
Chemoprophylaxis involves administering anti-malarial drugs as a preventative measure, usually during the months of peak transmission of the disease. In Massinga, children aged between six months and five years old were selected to participate in the initiative. Preliminary results are promising: the communities involved have seen a reduction of up to 70% in malaria cases among children.
Due to the positive impact of the intervention, a proposal has been submitted to the Ministry of Health to include chemoprophylaxis in the National Vaccination Calendar. The expectation is that, if approved, the measure will be expanded to other regions of the country. “We are confident that this approach will have a profound impact on child health, especially in endemic areas such as Inhambane,” said Estêvão.
The drugs used in the program are highly effective and have been approved by the WHO for use in malaria prevention programs. However, the logistics of large-scale implementation involve challenges, such as ensuring a continuous supply of drugs, training health professionals and monitoring possible adverse effects.
Family collaboration is also essential for the success of chemoprophylaxis. “It is important that caregivers take children to health facilities at the indicated times and follow the professionals’ instructions,” the director pointed out.
The impacts of the strategies implemented in Inhambane are widely visible and bring new hope in the fight against malaria.
The reduction of almost 37% in cases of the disease and more than 60% in deaths in just one year is a clear indicator that preventive measures, when well implemented and combined, can significantly transform the reality of a population affected by endemic diseases.
In addition to the numbers, the progress reflects an improvement in the quality of life of the communities.
Malaria, being one of the main causes of school and work absenteeism, directly harms the socioeconomic development of families and the province as a whole. The reduction in cases allows more children to attend school regularly and adults to continue their productive activities, creating a positive cycle for the economic and social growth of the region.
However, challenges persist. Inhambane still occupies a worrying position. It has the highest number of cases in the southern region of Mozambique and is also among the provinces most affected by malaria in the country, behind Nampula, Zambézia and Sofala, provinces that face similar contexts due to their high population density and climate conditions that favor the proliferation of the *Anopheles* mosquito. To achieve the goal of “zero malaria”, it will be necessary to intensify and diversify existing actions, while at the same time overcoming logistical and cultural barriers.
Among the priorities established by health authorities is the expansion of indoor spraying campaigns to areas that have not yet been covered. This will require additional investment in human resources, materials and logistics. In addition, it is intended to reinforce monitoring and evaluation actions to ensure that the insecticides used remain effective over time.
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