Dirico – At least 200 Community Development Agents (ADECOS) are carrying out an assessment process to prevent, identifying and combating malaria in the municipalities of Cuangar, Calai, Dirico and Rivungo, in eastern Cuando Cubango province.
The survey is taking place in three phases.The first, linked to the design of instruments, terms and manuals, took place between April and May. The next, training and data collection, began on May 21 and ends on June 25.
The third phase will focus on analyzing and processing the data, as well as presenting the reports to the Ministry of Health and other partners, which could take place between July and December of this year.
Speaking to ANGOP, the coordinator of the Anglican Church's program in the Fight Against Malaria, João Baptista Nelo, said the community educators are divided into two groups, one that will go from house to house to teach and the other that is the responsibility of the coordination members, made up of religious and traditional leaders.
According to Nelo, this is a voluntary network of agents trained to educate other members of the community about methods of prevention, identification and treatment of the disease, whose work in these regions began in 2017, with a current coverage of 10,000 families along the border.
He said that the agents have received the necessary training and equipment to carry out the work of educating other members of the community, whose survey took place between May 27 and May 7, with the aim of finding out the level of information in the communities so that the best methods could be adapted.
He explained that the project is part of the Cross Border Malaria Initiative (TKMI), funded by Isdell Flowers Cross, a non-governmental organization that works in partnership with the governments of Angola, Namibia, Zambia, Zimbabwe and Mozambique and run by the Anglican Church, with an annual budget of 150,000 US dollars.
The project, according to the manager, does not have a set deadline, as it is carried out according to the impact caused and the changes in the communities, since when the levels of malaria control are reached, there may be changes to other locations.
He indicated that the work area is essentially along the border, as he believes that eliminating malaria requires a joint approach by the surrounding countries, taking into account that the mosquito, which is the main vector of the disease, moves from one side to the other.
“The focus is on malaria prevention, the importance of testing and, as soon as the first symptoms appear, going to the health units and, where there are no health units, contacting ADECOS to seek the necessary help,” he warned.
Nelo said that as part of the cross-border initiative to combat malaria, a meeting will be held in the Namibian province of Kavango Est between the health authorities of Angola and Namibia. MSM/FF/PLB/TED/AMP
