Chinese technique ‘can cut malaria by over 80pc’

Dar es Salaam. Malaria cases in Tanzania can be reduced by over 80 per cent if a new scientific technique adopted in China is applied countrywide, researchers say.

Dubbed, “1-3-7,” the technique, is now looked at as a platform for policy, technology and product transformation to enhance chances of ending malaria by 2030.

It is a Sh5.3 billion pilot project, supported by a partnership involving China, the UK and Tanzania partnership and has been implemented in Rufiji District from 2015 to date.

The Chinese model was customized to “1-7” in the local context.

This is as a result of a pilot study conducted jointly by Ifakara Health Institute (IHI) and the National Institute for Parasitic Disease (China CDC) at Rufiji District in Coast Region.

It revealed that malaria could be reduced by over 80 per cent if a new Chinese model is rolled out countrywide.

The project, according to researchers, deployed a community-based test, treat and track (T3) as robust surveillance and response mechanism to reduce malaria burden in 18 villages of nearly 60,000 population in Muhoro and Ikwiriri within Rufiji District.

IHI Research Scientist Dr Prosper Chaki said that before the study was carried out, Ikwiriri and Muhoro wards had 19 per cent and 38 per cent reported cases of malaria respectively.

But after the study, the cases were reduced by 4.5 per cent at Ikwiriri and five per cent (5%) at Muhoro, said the scientist during a meeting that brought together journalists from China and Tanzania on 27 July, 2018 at the World Health Organization (WHO) offices in Dar es Salaam

“We had intended to reduce the cases by 30 per cent in two years, but through this model we have condensed the challenge by 80 per cent and there is also indication of significant reduction of malaria cases at health facilities in these areas,” he said.

For his side, the IHI Chief Executive Director Dr. Honorati Masanja said that they were trying to use the Chinese experience to see whether the strategy was effective in the Tanzanian environment.

“The experience so far has shown a positive result at Rufiji. This calls for partnerships between governments, local and private entities at different levels to join forces against malaria in the country,” he stated.

According to the acting WHO representative to Tanzania Dr Adiele Onyeze, the China’s 1-3-7 strategy was initiated and extensively adopted in different types of counties (geographic regions) for reporting of malaria cases within 1 day.

This was through confirmation and investigation within 3 days, and the appropriate public health response to prevent further transmission within 7 days. The strategy has made China to reduce cases of malaria to zero per cent.