Rwanda marked World Malaria Day on Friday, April 25, with a national event in Ndera Sector, Gasabo District. The event’s host district recorded over 13,000 malaria cases, the most in the country, followed by Gisagara District with 11,000 cases, and Kicukiro District with 9,000. In total, half of the districts accounted for 85 percent of all malaria cases reported in March. ASLO READ: Rwanda rolls out new malaria strategy after recording 87,000 cases in March The event was centred on the theme “Malaria ends with us: Reinvest, Reimagine, Reignite,” and stressed the role of local communities in malaria control efforts. It aligns with Rwanda’s ongoing “Zero malaria starts with me” campaign, which calls for community-led action in tackling malaria. ALSO READ: What’s driving malaria resurgence in Rwanda? Dr. Claude Mambo Muvunyi, the Director General of Rwanda Biomedical Center (RBC), stressed the need for community engagement, highlighting that is not just about launching new programmes but also about involving Rwandans at every level. Two initiatives were launched during this year’s campaign; community-based malaria surveillance and multiple first-line therapies (MFT). The first is focused on improving early detection and timely response to malaria cases, while the second aims to address the growing challenge of drug resistance. These new strategies are part of Rwanda’s ongoing commitment to reducing malaria rates and ensuring public health safety. Dr Muvunyi noted that indoor residual spraying (IRS), mosquito net distribution, and targeted malaria case detection were rolled out in areas with high malaria burdens. “Health workers and local leaders actively mobilized communities, and public health messages about prevention were spread through radio, television, social media, and community outreach.” The national campaign is expected to continue in the weeks ahead, with follow-up activities planned in districts across the country. These include further vector control measures, treatment programs, and community education sessions aimed at empowering local communities to take action against malaria, he added. World Malaria Day, established by the World Health Organization (WHO) in 2007, is observed each year on April 25 to raise awareness and encourage global action against malaria. Despite global progress, malaria is still a public health challenge, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa where it continues to claim hundreds of thousands of lives annually. Speaking to The New Times, Dr. Aimable Mbituyumuremyi, the Division Manager for Malaria and Neglected Tropical Diseases at RBC, noted that the ministry is currently conducting IRS in 12 districts with the highest malaria burden, including Gasabo, Gicumbi, Nyamagabe, Nyaruguru, and Rusizi. “In addition to spraying, we distribute mosquito bed nets through a national campaign every three years. The last distribution was in 2023, and we are already preparing for the next one,” he said. To address rising concerns about drug resistance, Rwanda introduced new antimalarial drugs, Dihydroartemisinin-piperaquine (DHAP) and artesunate-pyronaridine (ASPY) into its treatment. The country is also exploring additional preventive measures, such as the use of mosquito repellents and the implementation of reactive case detection to identify asymptomatic carriers of the malaria parasite. Josephine Nyiransabimana, a community health worker in Kacyiru, said that their responsibilities include diagnosing and treating malaria, distributing insecticide-treated bed nets, conducting indoor spraying, and educating residents about prevention. They also monitor malaria cases and report to nearby health facilities. “We are on the front lines, ensuring that communities understand the importance of prevention and timely treatment,” she said. According to data from the Ministry of Health, there was a 90 per cent reduction in malaria cases between the fiscal year 2016/2017 and 2023/2024 – from 4.8 million to 620,000 cases, and a drop in malaria-related deaths from around 650 to 67 was recorded in the same period. In 2024, Rwanda recorded approximately 800,000 malaria cases and 85 related deaths, a concerning increase after years of progress. Nooliet Kabanyana, the Executive Director of Rwanda NGOs Forum on HIV/AIDS and Health Promotion, noted the role of NGOs in malaria prevention, including community education. “We educate people on the symptoms of malaria and guide them on where to seek treatment. We also focus on eliminating mosquito breeding grounds, reminding people that even a small amount of stagnant water in a discarded bottle can be a risk.”
