TANZANIA has been cited as one of the African countries to have set up a strategy to eliminate Malaria by the end of 2030 to 1 percent by establishing a 'Zero Malaria starts with me' campaign.

Speaking during a media capacity building workshop in Morogoro Region, recently the National Malaria Control Program (NMCP), Mobilizer, Ms Theresia Shirima made the observation.

Adding that though with successful plan, malaria is still a killer disease especially in African and continues to affect the society.

She said the campaign coordinated by African Union (AU) and RBM is aimed at bringing together different stakeholders including government and religious leaders, and media experts and the society in general to fight the disease.

Statistics indicate that new malaria cases have decreased from 295 in 2017 to 112 last year out of every 1,000 people tested every time.

According to NMCP research under the Ministry of Health, Community Development, Elders and Children in 2008-2017, deaths caused by malaria have decreased by 73 percent out of 1, 000 people tested to 33 in 2008 and further to 9 in 2017.

"In places where new malaria infection is prone, it has decreased by 60 percent from 18.1percent (THMIS -2008) to 7.3 percent (MIS-2017).

Whereas in low malaria prevalence (10 percent) it has increased from 39 cases in 2007-8 to 68 percent in 2017," she stated. However, areas with high prevalence infections have realized decrease from 61 percent in 2008 to 32 percent in 2017.

"The success is brought by the government in collaboration with malaria stakeholders together with the community to ensure that plans and strategies set are implemented," said Ms Shirima.

On her side, NMCP Head of Social and Behavior Change Communication (SBCC), Ms Leah Ndekuka said that new Malaria infections depend on weather and environmental changes, which support the life of mosquito to breed.