ZAMBIA: Religious Leaders Preach Malaria Elimination
Mwenya Mkuka
The End Malaria Council has engaged the Catholic Diocese of Ndola on the need to increase advocacy for malaria elimination.
The co-chair of End Malaria Council, Bishop David Njovu of the Anglican Diocese of Lusaka has since met the Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Ndola Rt. Rev. Benjamin Phiri and his Diocesan Senior Management to discuss malaria elimination.
Bishop Njovu told Ndola Diocesan Catholic radio’s Radio Icengelo, on Tuesday 15th March,2022, that there is need for faith leaders to increase end malaria advocacy voices.
He noted that malaria has continued to kill many people in Zambia.
“The general community should be reminded that malaria is still with us. Malaria is a killer; in 2020, more than 1,700 people died of malaria which is far higher than the deaths of Covid-19,” Bishop Njovu said.
Meanwhile, Bishop Phiri welcomed the advocacy for ending malaria saying it is a noble campaign.
And the Director of Social Programmes and Projects for the Diocese of Ndola – Rev. Fr. Bernard Kapembwa said the Church should preach messages on malaria elimination.
“Of late it is like we have shifted the attention to the Covid fight and cancer issues yet malaria has continued to take lives of our people,” Fr. Kapembwa said.
End Malaria Council is engaging Christians, Muslims and the Bahai through Faith Leader Advocacy for Malaria Elimination (FLAME) Zambia in the fight against malaria.
