Health official identifies obstacle in malaria control efforts

He explained that implementing malaria control strategies is complex because it does not just dependent on how much they can deliver, but mainly on the acceptance by the communities. He explained that to address the obstacles, they have developed an advocacy and communication strategy to strengthen health education and community mobilisation.

He said that the insecticide treated nets have historically been in limited use in malaria endemic areas in Botswana even though they are being sold at highly subsidised prices at health facilities. "In the last few years, however there has been increased interest from partners to support insecticide treated nets distribution," he said. He added that mass distribution of long lasting nets has been piloted in Okavango. This has increased net ownership from 12.6 percent to 77 percent in 2009. "Plans are to scale up mass distribution to other districts by 2010 in order to achieve malaria elimination by 2015," he explained.