KENYA LAUNCHES MALARIA CAMPAIGN

Kenya has launched a malaria control initiative to encourage the widespread use of available free treatment in hospitals, reports the UN Integrated Regional Information Networks. The campaign, which will target 24 malaria-prone districts, will also distribute 1.7 million mosquito nets, the health ministry said.

Malaria is one of the leading causes of morbidity and mortality in Kenya, particularly among children, killing 34,000 annually. In April, Kenya adopted a national malaria strategy that involved the introduction of an artemisinin combination therapy, Coartem, as the first-line treatment for malaria in the country.

The launch of this campaign follows an announcement by the World Health Organization last week addressing the seriousness of the malaria problem and recommending the use of DDT in indoor residual spraying for areas where the disease is endemic.