Experts say "mass treatment" of malaria would eradicate disease

Experts at a launch of a malaria communication strategy in Kampala said "mass treatment" of the disease would eradicate it. They called for interventions, including swallowing of the malaria tablet Argo and other prophylaxis to wipe the disease-causing plasmodium from humans.
 
Dr. Jimmy Opigo, a malaria control programme manager at the health ministry, said the strategy would be an ideal weapon to finally rid the country of a disease, which killed over 100, 000 Ugandans last year.
 
"Mosquitoes are only vectors; which only transmit the malaria plasmodium. But if the population was cleared of the parasite (malaria-causing plasmodium), they wouldn't have what to transmit," the doctor said.
 
"(When fighting malaria), you try to kill the interface between the population and the vector (through use of insecticide treated mosquito nets and indoor residual spraying) and try to ‘clear' the environment where the vectors breed. But if you want to use "mass treatment", you give each Ugandan (34 million people) these tablets on a same date. Then you carry out screening to ensure everyone is treated of the disease; those who are not, are treated. Mosquitos have a lifespan of about three weeks. Within this time, all the infected mosquitos will die. The new mosquitos won't have where to pick the plasmodium," the doctor said.
 
While some countries, mainly in Europe and a few in Africa (Ethiopia and Eritrea), have already employed the intervention to diminish the malaria-causing parasites from their populations, the strategy is viewed as ‘expensive' to implement by some experts, while others say wiping out malaria is ‘political' and against economies of scale.
 
Opigo said they piloted the strategy in Katakwi district with help from a non-governmental organisation Pilgrim Africa and wiped out the disease. But they couldn't find funds to rollout the intervention across Uganda.
 
According to the 2014 Uganda Malaria Indicator Survey, prevalence in Kampala stands at less than one percent, compared to northern Uganda where it ranges from 40% to 70% in some districts.
 
But this is not to say that Kampala has no mosquitoes. It is because the amount of malaria plasmodium circulating in populations in Kampala is limited, Daudi Ochieng, a communications manager at Malaria Consortium Uganda, said.
 
Opigo said the upsurge of malaria cases in northern Uganda continued to rise, with over 60,000 cases registered per week. There is a 20% shortage of blood for severe anemia resulting from the disease and a "slight" shortage in medicines.
 
But procurements are already made to remedy the challenges, the doctor said. He said the ministry also planned another round of indoor residual spraying in the 10 districts which are worst hit. The chemicals were on transit.
 
Dr. Anthony Mbonye, the acting director general of health services at the ministry, who launched the communication strategy, stressed the need to de-campaign self-medication and purchase of drugs over the counter to eradicate the disease.