This week’s Fist Bump goes out to VL Mozambique for their work in Zambezia Province, located in the central region of the country. VL Mozambique was recently recognized by provincial leaders for their contributions in helping to reduce malaria incidence by 6% in the province in the first six months of 2021. The region also saw a remarkable decline in malaria cases in the IRS districts during this time. This was a huge accomplishment as the region saw a rise in malaria cases in 2019-2020, after a series of natural disasters that the country experienced. Cyclones, heavy rains, and flooding often result in new breeding grounds for mosquitoes, which in turn can increase the number of malaria-carrying vectors that spread the disease.
The Zambezia Provincial Health Directorate, in collaboration with implementing partners, holds an annual malaria meeting to review the progress made in malaria control against its strategic plan objectives and discuss the way forward in the fight against malaria. During the 2020 annual meeting, which was held in December, the province set an ambitious goal, named Zambezia 6+, to reduce the number of malaria cases by half in the first six months of 2021.
At this year’s annual meeting, which was held last week from June 18-19, Zambezia’s Provincial Health Directorate awarded VL Mozambique a certificate in recognition of their efforts in supporting the malaria program and other health activities in the province.
Congratulations, VL Mozambique! Well done and thank you for the good news!! Accomplishments like these help us to remember that we are on the road to ending malaria and that our work saves lives.
Keep fighting!