By Donald Nyarota
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National Malaria Program coordinator, Doctor Joseph Mberikunashe said Cyclone Idai has caused a 10 percent upsurge in malaria incidents despite routine government control measures.
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Chief Director Preventative Services in the Ministry of Health, Dr Gibson Mhlanga said Cyclone Idai posed a serious test of the national disaster risk reduction strategies.
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“The cyclone took away the major malaria preventative tools that had been set up to protect communities during the pre-season campaign in the fourth quarter of 2018 as it destroyed homes and swept away mosquito nets which families might have had and created more breeding ground for vector mosquitoes.
“The disaster presented a serious test for our national response systems to emergencies, the Ministry Health and Child Care malaria program was able to respond as most affected areas were not easily accessible,” said Dr Mhlanga.