Malaria is the third leading cause of illness and mortality in Zimbabwe (PDF 76 KB). Forty-five of the country’s 62 districts are malarial, with 33 categorized as high burden malaria areas. The 2002 malaria stratification estimates that about half the population is living in high-risk areas. Malaria incidence in Zimbabwe appears to be decreasing nationally, while remaining a major challenge in certain districts. According to an external program review done in 2011, malaria incidence decreased from 1.8 million cases in 2006 to about 600,000 in 2010.
Race Against Malaria (RAM)
Harare: Malaria is a major burden of disease in the Southern Africa (PDF 348 KB) region and freely circulates across borders; so working together as a region to raise awareness and support for resources is essential. The Race Against Malaria (RAM)2 is a Southern Africa Development Community (SADC) initiative to accomplish that goal – to create awareness and mobilize resources for action against malaria and strengthen the malaria control infrastructure within the region.
Hope and Aspirations
Mutoko: Malaria is the third highest cause of mortality and morbidity in Zimbabwe (PDF 464 KB). Children under five and pregnant women are the most affected. Through sustained efforts the country has managed to reach the Abuja Target of halving the incidence of malaria by 2010.
Population Services International Zimbabwe Distribution
Dotito: Maria Bhonzi is 23 years and lives in a rural village in Dotito District (PDF 632 KB), Zimbabwe with her husband and two young children, Marcia and Tendayi. The family lives near the Chiutsa River, a major breeding site for mosquitoes, and despite Maria and her family being regular visitors to the local clinic, seeking treatment for malaria they are unable to afford the protection of a long lasting insecticide treated bednet (LLIN).
Racing Against Malaria 2 (RAM2)
In November 2003, countries in the Southern Africa Development Community (SADC) (PDF 1.1 MB) organized the 1st Racing Against Malaria (RAM1) campaign with convoys of national malaria teams driving from Angola, Malawi, Mozambique, South Africa, Swaziland, Zambia and Zimbabwe to Dar es Salaam, United Republic of Tanzania. The goal of RAM1 was to create awareness for action against malaria in Southern Africa and the SADC region.