BUJUMBURA January 22nd (ABP) – Malaria should not be considered as a simple disease by the people because it is and remains the leading cause of death in Burundi, said the director of the health province of Bujumbura (western Burundi), Dr Joël Nibigira, who calls on communal administrators to crack down on those who use mosquito nets for other purposes other than sleeping under them.
Speaking of the malaria situation in the health districts of Isare, Kabezi and Rwibaga, the figures show that malaria is present in the three districts whereas it was not spoken in the communes a while ago from Mugongomanga and Mukike. According to Dr. Nibigara, malaria rages intensely for several months of the year, but it is usually when there is a lot of rain that many people get sick.
In 2019, during the months of January and November, the number of workers was highest in the province. In January, 10,493 patients were registered in Isare district, 3,745 patients in Kabezi and 355 in Rwibaga, for a total number of 14,593 patients. The figures decreased again for the month of November, increasing to 10,203 in Isare district, 3,822 in Kabezi and 220 in Rwibaga, making a total of 14,341 patients. Dr Nibigira recalled that malaria is a real public health problem which affects pregnant women and children a lot. That disease, which causes a lot of expenses for the families, is the important cause of the absenteeism in the service and of a low production of the country. It causes a lot of spending on medicines for the country. That’s why all the interveners (administrative officials, nursing staff, members of associations, religious denominations) must combine efforts with a view to raising awareness in the community to prevent and treat that disease with a view to its total eradication, specifies Dr. Nibigira.
