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UNHCR Combats Malaria in Refugee Camps
Lusaka, Apr 25, 2009 (The Times of Zambia/All Africa Global Media via COMTEX) --
The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) has intensified measures to combat malaria in refugee camps across the country, UNHCR Zambia public information assistant, Kelvin Shimoh, said yesterday.
"UNHCR has so far distributed 30,000 long-lasting insecticide treated mosquito nets to refugees in the four refugee designated sites of Meheba and Mayukwayukwa settlements, Mwange and Kala camps.
"UNHCR is committed to improving the health of refugees as part of the agency's refugee protection mandate, especially the prevention of malaria," Mr Shimoh said in an interview ahead of today's World Malaria Day commemorations.
Mr Shimoh said all households in the camps and settlements were covered and priority was given to households with vulnerable people including under-five children, pregnant women, the elderly, as well as those with chronic illnesses such as HIV/AIDS.
"All newly arrived refugees, as well as those who are returning home under the voluntary repatriation exercise, are provided with mosquito nets, as part of their non-food items (NFIs). These measures have resulted in a drastic reduction of malaria cases," he said.
According to Mr Shimoh, UNHCR and its health partners were also using other methods such as medication prescribed within the national treatment protocol to combat malaria in addition to providing mosquito nets.
Currently, the UNHCR and its partners have established facilities for diagnosis in all refugee camps and settlements, which are also used by the host Zambian communities in the spirit of sharing.
"As UNHCR we wish to underline that the various successes we have scored in the fight against malaria have been due to the concerted efforts of our partners, such as the Ministry of Health and our implementing partners involved in health matters," he said.
A number of strategies had been put in place to combat malaria through capacity building by training health personnel, public awareness in all refugee camps and settlements and through epidemic preparedness taskforce set up in all camps.
Mr Shimoh, however, said more resources were needed to scale up the various strategies put in place so far in order for the agency to forge ahead with the fight against malaria.
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