Alfred Moselakgomo

Alfred Moselakgomo

The Mpumalanga health department celebrated malaria day in Bushbuckridge, Mpumalanga, at the weekend, with the theme "Vector control at scale."

This year, like every year, the health department commemorates malaria day to create awareness within local communities battling against this scourge.

Speaking on behalf of the health minister, MEC for the provincial health department, William Lubisi, said Bushbuckridge was one of two Mpumalanga areas affected by malaria.

According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), at least 300 million acute cases of malaria are reported each year globally, resulting in more than a million deaths.

The WHO is the United Nations' public health arm, which monitors disease outbreaks and assesses the performance of health systems around the globe.

Ninety percent of these deaths occur in Africa, mostly in young children, the WHO has stated.

Malaria is an infective disease caused by parasites that are transmitted through the bite of an infected mosquito; marked by paroxysms of chills and fever.

This year's malaria day was observed through creating awareness about ways of preventing the scourge.

Lubisi said there has been a significant decrease in the number of malaria cases and deaths reported in South Africa during the current malaria season as a result of several interventions made by the country.