Pretoria - South Africa has been awarded the 2016 African Leaders Malaria Alliance (ALMA) Award for Achieving the Malaria Millennium Development Goal (MDG) target.
The award was presented on Saturday and received by President Jacob Zuma during the ALMA meeting for Heads of State and Government of the African Union.
In South Africa, malaria cases have decreased by 82% with deaths also decreased by 71%, since the year 2000 to date.
The decrease in malaria cases is attributed to a sound malaria vector control programme, where the country has used dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane or DDT odourless insecticide for Indoor Residual Spraying, coupled with other World Health Organisation recommended interventions.
"We are honoured to receive this 2016 ALMA Award, which recognises the efforts that our programme in South Africa has made, not only in the past decade, but also investments we have made to fight malaria since the 1940s,” said President Zuma.
President Zuma also noted that whilst SA was delighted at the country’s successes, government will not be complacent in tackling the disease.
“In this regard we have committed to eliminate the disease from within our borders. We are also working with our neighbouring countries to also fight the disease in our neighbourhood,” said President Zuma.
The President is leading a South African delegation to the 26th Ordinary Session of the Assembly of Heads of State and Government of the African Union (AU) in Ethiopia. – SAnews.gov.za
