Nkurenkuru: The Ministry of Health and Social Services has initiated its annual indoor residual spraying (IRS) campaign in Nkurenkuru, located in the Kavango West Region. The campaign is set to run from September 22 until December 5, 2025.
According to Namibia Press Agency, Kavango West Health Regional Director Fransiska Hamutenya highlighted that the IRS is one of the three primary methods for malaria prevention, alongside the use of insecticide-treated bed nets and prompt treatment of confirmed cases. This initiative comes in response to the alarming statistics recorded in Namibia, with 93,598 malaria cases and 1,636 deaths reported nationally in the first eight months of 2025. Specifically, Kavango West documented 20,964 cases and 18 deaths, with Nkurenkuru District contributing 17,505 cases and 16 deaths. Notably, nine of the 18 regional deaths involved children aged between five and 14.
Hamutenya pointed out that the villages most affected include Katwitwi, Matava, Kambumbu, and Mpungu in Nkurenkuru District, along with Rivero, Ntara, and Karangana in Ncamagoro District. She expressed concern over the region's previous IRS performance, which only achieved 52 percent coverage in 2024, falling short of the national target of 85 percent. High refusal rates were noted in villages such as Musese, Nankudu, Matenda, Mpungu, and Nkurenkuru.
The director emphasized the goal of achieving 100 percent coverage of all structures within the community, as partial coverage would render the intervention ineffective. To support this effort, the Ministry has distributed 3,745 mosquito nets in the region, urging residents to use them for protection against malaria rather than for other purposes like fishing or decoration.
Additionally, Hamutenya urged residents to seek immediate medical attention if they exhibit malaria symptoms and to complete their prescribed medication courses to ensure effective treatment and prevent the development of parasite resistance.
Kavango West Governor Verna Sinimbo also addressed the campaign's launch, highlighting the importance of community participation, proper use of mosquito nets, and prompt medical attention for malaria symptoms. Sinimbo underscored the critical role of community unity in combating malaria infections and related fatalities.
The IRS campaign involves coating interior walls and surfaces with long-lasting insecticides designed to kill mosquitoes after they feed and rest on treated surfaces, thereby reducing the malaria transmission risk within the region.