Dr. Mailu added that the use of treated nets has been the key intervention for prevention having distributed 16 million nets in 36 out of 47 counties.
“Currently 63 per cent of households in Kenya own at least one mosquito net. That has improved from a low of 44 per cent in 2010. Use of nets in these households has soared from 61 per cent to 71 per cent over the last 5 years,” he added.
To sustain and enhance use of mosquito nets the ministry intends to carry out routine distribution of 15 million nets through health clinics in this year’s mass campaign and another 15.6 million planned for the 2020 campaign.
Malaria on the Sub Saharan map
The WHO estimates that 3.2 billion people are at risk of malaria worldwide.
According to WHO Sub-Saharan Africa is disproportionally affected whereby in 2015, the region had 88 percent of malaria cases.
WHO’s latest report indicates that in Sub Saharan Africa 43 per cent of people at risk of malaria in the region were not protected by either a net or indoor pesticide spraying in 2015.
Approximately 69 per cent of pregnant women in 20 African countries did not have access to the recommended 3 or more doses of preventive treatment.
Africa bears the greatest burden of malaria worldwide.
