Prime Minister Edouard Ngirente and a delegation from the Multilateral Initiative on Malaria (MIM) society on Friday, April 26, engaged in discussions to bolster collaboration in the ongoing to eradicate malaria. Their meeting in Kigali coincided with the Pan African Malaria Conference (PAMC) 2024, hosted by Rwanda. Rose Leke, the Multilateral Initiative Secretariat Chairperson, highlighted the significance of the eighth PAMC meeting, focusing on the urgent goal of eradicating malaria. She expressed gratitude to the government of Rwanda for hosting the meeting, citing the exceptional organization and participation that made it very successful. Leke commended Rwanda's remarkable progress in malaria reduction, emphasizing the importance of sharing its successful strategies with other African nations. ALSO READ: Achieving a malaria-free Rwanda by 2030 is possible During discussions with the Prime Minister, Leke urged the government to extend Rwanda's malaria elimination model to other countries, stressing the need for collective efforts in changing mindsets toward eradication and mobilizing domestic resources for disease control. With 1,700 delegates from 62 countries in attendance, Leke emphasized the knowledge exchange and innovation showcased at the meeting. She called upon Rwanda to lead the way in guiding other nations toward malaria eradication, urging ministers to advocate for similar initiatives regionally and continentally. Leke underscored the importance of political commitment from presidents and ministers across Africa. ALSO READ: Rwanda: Malaria cases down by 88% in 2023 Dr Sabin Nsanzimana, the Minister of Health, pointed to technology as another step in Rwanda's malaria eradication efforts. He talked about the integration of drone technology alongside conventional measures like mosquito nets and medication to combat the disease nationwide. Highlighting Rwanda's achievement of a top-three ranking in the WHO report on malaria control, Dr. Nsanzimana emphasized the effectiveness of the newly adopted strategies. Drones are now employed to identify high-risk areas and promptly disinfect them, surpassing human capabilities in surveillance. Despite the progress, challenges persist, notably in the southern and western provinces, facing significant malaria burdens some of which he said get affected from neighbouring countries. In Kigali, areas with swamps and agricultural activities continue to report elevated malaria cases. Dr. Nsanzimana underscored collaborative efforts to fight it and emphasized the necessity of international cooperation in malaria eradication.
