Katima mulilo: The Zambezi Region has reported a total of 24,194 malaria cases, including 212 cases imported from other regions, from January to the last week of May this year. This figure is part of the 82,991 cases recorded across the country during the same period.

According to Namibia Press Agency, Zambezi Governor Dorothy Kabula-Simushi disclosed these statistics during a belated World Malaria Day commemoration held in Katima Mulilo. The governor emphasized that Zambezi remains a primary epicenter for malaria in Namibia, highlighting the need for collaborative efforts with neighboring countries to combat the disease effectively.

In a speech delivered by Bernard Sisamu, chairperson of the Zambezi Regional Council Management Committee, on behalf of the governor, it was noted that the movement of people across permeable borders in regions such as Ohangwena, Omusati, Kavango East, Kavango West, and Zambezi is frequent and largely uncontrollable. The data indicates that 20 percent of the malaria cases in Zambezi, Kavango West, Kavango East, and Omusati originated from neighboring countries.

The governor acknowledged the importance of cross-border initiatives between Zambia and Namibia in the fight against malaria but pointed out challenges such as delayed health-seeking behavior, refusal of indoor residual spraying, non-compliance with treatment protocols, and low uptake of preventative measures in communities.

Governor Kabula-Simushi called on the region's inhabitants to adhere strictly to malaria prevention protocols and advocated for ongoing public health outreach programs, including weekly radio talk shows, to raise awareness and encourage compliance.

World Malaria Day is observed on 25 April each year, and the theme for this year's commemoration was 'Driven to End Malaria, Now We Can, Now We Must.'