Rwanda to introduce household testing strategy against malaria spread

IANS April 22, 2025 170 views

Rwanda is revolutionizing its approach to malaria prevention through an innovative household testing strategy. By testing all family members when one person is diagnosed, health officials aim to interrupt the disease's transmission cycle. The program will initially launch in Kigali and potentially expand nationwide, building on the country's significant progress in reducing malaria cases. This comprehensive approach represents a proactive public health intervention targeting both symptomatic and asymptomatic infections.

"If someone visits a health facility and is diagnosed with malaria, a health worker will visit their home to test all household members." - Epaphrodite Habanabakize, Rwanda Biomedical Centre
Kigali, April 22: Rwanda will roll out a new malaria prevention strategy under which all members of a household will be tested if one person is diagnosed with the disease, a health official has said.

Key Points

1

Rwanda reduces malaria cases from 4.8M to 620K in seven years

2

Household testing strategy aims to prevent parasite transmission

3

Drone-based larvicide spraying targets mosquito breeding zones

4

Asymptomatic carriers will receive preventive medication

"This approach will help reduce malaria transmission among the population, and once transmission is lowered, it serves as a form of prevention," Epaphrodite Habanabakize, malaria prevention senior officer at the Rwanda Biomedical Centre (RBC), told national broadcaster Rwanda TV on Monday.

He said the strategy would initially be implemented in the capital, Kigali, before being expanded to other districts nationwide.

"If someone visits a health facility and is diagnosed with malaria, a health worker will visit their home to test all household members. Those who test positive but are not showing symptoms -- despite carrying the malaria parasite -- will still be given malaria medication," he explained.

"Even if you are not exhibiting symptoms, you may already be infected. Providing treatment in such cases helps prevent the onset of symptoms and further transmission," he said, noting that by treating asymptomatic cases, the strategy aims to break the chain of infection by preventing mosquitoes from biting infected individuals and spreading the parasite, Xinhua news agency reported.

Rwanda registered a significant reduction in malaria cases -- from 4.8 million to 620,000 cases between the 2016/2017 and 2023/2024 fiscal years. Malaria-related deaths also dropped substantially during the same period. However, malaria remains a public health concern, with 802,428 simple malaria cases recorded in 2024, according to RBC data.

In 2020, Rwanda introduced drone-based larvicide spraying in swampy areas to complement indoor residual spraying efforts, targeting mosquito breeding grounds.

According to the World Health Organisation, malaria is a life-threatening disease spread to humans by some types of mosquitoes. It is mostly found in tropical countries. It is preventable and curable.

The infection is caused by a parasite and does not spread from person to person.

Symptoms can be mild or life-threatening. Mild symptoms are fever, chills and headache. Severe symptoms include fatigue, confusion, seizures, and difficulty breathing.

Infants, children under 5 years, pregnant women and girls, travellers and people with HIV or AIDS are at higher risk of severe infection.

Malaria can be prevented by avoiding mosquito bites and with medicines. Treatments can stop mild cases from getting worse.

Reader Comments

J
Jean K.
This is such a smart approach! Catching asymptomatic cases early could really help stop the spread. Rwanda's malaria reduction numbers are already impressive - hope this new strategy brings even better results 🙌
A
Alice M.
I wonder how they'll handle privacy concerns with home visits? The strategy sounds effective but I'd want to know more about how they'll implement it respectfully.
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Paul R.
The drone spraying + this new testing approach shows Rwanda is really thinking outside the box with malaria prevention. Other African nations should take notes!
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Beatrice N.
As someone who lost a cousin to malaria last year, I fully support this initiative. Early detection saves lives! The numbers show Rwanda is making progress but we can't let up now.
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Thomas G.
While I appreciate the effort, I worry about the cost of testing entire households. Will this divert resources from other important health programs? The strategy sounds good but needs proper funding.
M
Marie L.
From 4.8 million to 620,000 cases in just a few years is incredible! 🎉 Shows what focused public health initiatives can achieve. The household testing sounds like another great step forward.

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Tags:
Rwanda Malaria Prevention Household Health Testing African Public Health Epaphrodite Habanabakize Malaria Transmission
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