The gains Namibia has made in eliminating malaria are being threatened by inadequate funding.

The Minister of Health and Services Ministry, Dr. Kalumbi Shangula, who was speaking at the World Malaria Day commemoration in the Kunene Region, said drug resistance surveillance is another hurdle making elimination difficult.

The ministry recorded 28 fatalities from the 12,286 cases reported in the malaria-endemic regions of Zambezi, Ohangwena, Oshikoto, Kavango East and West.

Dr. Shangula says outbreaks in endemic regions are attributed to favourable malaria climatic conditions, inadequate reach, and low coverage of indoor residual spraying.

Late health-seeking behaviours by community members, which can lead to severe malaria illness and eventual deaths, are another.

Because of this, the minister says, the 2024 Indoor Residual Spraying Campaign was started in March, including the recruitment of community health workers to test and treat malaria patients in hard-to-reach areas, as well as the distribution of long-lasting insecticide nets.

He further applauded Khorixas Health District for achieving near-zero malaria cases in the area from 2020 to date.

The World Health Organisation Country Representative, Dr. Richard Banda, applauded the early spraying intervention, saying it will rapidly lead to a reduction in malaria transmission. 

Banda called on communities in affected areas not to prevent teams from entering their houses to spray the walls.

This year's Malaria Day was commemorated under the national theme of Ensuring Safe Communities Towards Zero Malaria.