Dengue fever and malaria are both serious mosquito-borne diseases, but they are caused by different pathogens and exhibit distinct symptoms and characteristics.
The African continent is experiencing a surge in mosquito-borne infections, including malaria and dengue fever, placing immense pressure on public health systems.
The Kenya Indicator Survey 2020 highlights that the coastal region has the second-highest malaria prevalence in Kenya at 5 per cent, trailing the Lake Victoria region at 19 per cent.
The minister received the first consignment of 645,000 vaccines with the help of the World Health Organization (WHO) alongside other stakeholders.
About 14.5 million children failed to get vaccinated in 2023, compared with 13.9 million a year earlier.
The initiative aims to utilise advanced genetic techniques, specifically gene drive technology to stop the spread.
Ethiopia's Health Minister, Mekdes Daba, emphasised the crucial role of community-based and innovative strategies in combating tuberculosis, HIV/AIDS, and malaria.
The tools were developed based on findings from seasonal malaria research in Turkana's North and Central Sub-Counties conducted by Moi University in conjunction with Duke University in North Carolina, United States.
The purchase comes after the allocation of Sh1.25 billion to the ministry to urgently procure routine childhood vaccines, including BCG, Oral Polio, Tetanus-Diphtheria, and Measles Rubella.
The directive follows the launch of a nationwide yellow fever vaccination campaign aimed at protecting Ugandans from the mosquito-borne illness that has been a threat for long.
South Sudan's Minister of Health, Yolanda Awel Deng, stated that the continued use of the vaccine, alongside other preventive measures will be instrumental in efforts to eliminate malaria in the country.
The governors listed shortages of essential vaccines routinely given out to newborns and children under five, including polio (OPV & IPV), BCG (for tuberculosis), MR (measles rubella), rotavirus and tetanus-diphtheria vaccines.
According to the deputy governor, the purpose of the mosquito nets is to shield locals from mosquito bites, which are the vector that spreads malaria.
The State Department for Public Health launched the Kenya Malaria Elimination Implementation Plan (2021-2023), aiming to reduce the malaria burden and contribute to global elimination efforts by 2030.
The long-awaited RTS,S malaria vaccine vaccine was described as a breakthrough for science, child health and malaria control.
This approach involves the development of non-biting, self-limiting, and non-persistent male mosquitoes capable of controlling malaria mosquito populations.
This tool emerged from a seasonal malaria research project conducted in Turkana North and Central sub-counties by Moi University in collaboration with Duke University.
Mothers have continued to put their babies at risk of contracting the deadly disease despite awareness created by doctors and medical facilities which freely distribute nets.
Those registered will receive messages on their mobile phones telling them where to collect the nets.
She also said that in the last 12 months, the county reported 3,329 confirmed malaria cases with a relatively low malaria incidence of 5.7 cases per 1000 population.