The Kavango East Region has recorded over 3,300 cases of malaria so far this year.

In response, the Ministry of Health and Social Services is urging residents to allow indoor residual spray teams into their homes as the malaria prevention campaign officially kicks off this Monday. 

Kavango East is among the eight malarious regions in the country, and indoor residual spray campaigns are conducted twice a year to fight malaria. 

"This year alone, Kavango East Region reported a total of 3,312 malaria cases, whereas Andara district is topping with 2,402, followed by Nyangana district with 494 and Rundu with 415," said Dr. Frans Indongo, Chief Medical Officer for the region.

During the campaign launch in Rundu, it was revealed that there are still some communities who are reluctant to accommodate the spraying teams. 

"Sauyemwa is one such community with a high malaria burden and high refusal for indoor residual spraying. It is essential that households welcome the spraying teams into their homes and follow the guidance provided to ensure maximum protection. Together we can break the cycle of transmission and make malaria a thing of the past in our communities," appealed Ndonga Linena Councillor, Michael Kampota.

Apart from malaria spraying, some other effective methods for malaria prevention include sleeping under a treated mosquito net or treating water bodies where mosquitoes lay eggs.