World Malaria Day marked in Kabul

KABUL (Pajhwok): Over 180,000 positive Malaria cases were registered in Afghanistan in the past year while no Malaria-induced fatality was recorded in the past five years, according to the Ministry of Public Health (MoPH) on Thursday.

Dr. Abdul Walli Haqqani, head of the health ministry’s Health Services Department, said in 2023, 180,718 positive Malaria cases registered in Afghanistan. He was addressing a gathering marking the World Malaria Day

He said of the total registered Malaria cases 90.2 percent had occurred in eastern provinces --- Nangarhar, Laghman, Kunar, Khost and Paktika and Nuristan.

He, however, said no Malaria-induced fatality had occurred in the past five years.

He said: “On the occasion of World Malaria Day, I ask all of you to do your part to eliminate this disease, by raising the level of awareness, increasing funding and supporting research together, we can have a malaria-free Afghanistan and the world.”

Dr. Haqqani said last year 576,330 mosquito nets distributed in more vulnerable provinces.  Naeemullah Safi, the World Health Orgnaisation (WHO) representative, said 249 million positive Malaria cases registered worldwide in 2022, out of which 608,000 patients lost died.

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