The Malaria program in Namibia has expanded to include community-based Testing, Treating and Tracing (TTT). Partners supporting the National Vector-borne Disease Control Programme (NVDCP) DAPP Namibia included, have been implementing the malaria awareness campaigns using community health workers to educate communities on malaria preventative measures and assisting in the distribution of Long Lasting Insecticidal Nets-LLINs (bed nets) and now this strategy has broadened to Testing, Treating and TracingTTT.
DAPP Namibia is part of a consortium consisting of five organizations; ADPP Angola, The MENTOR Initiative, CICA with JC Flowers Foundation operating in Angola and DAPP Namibia and AAP (Anglican Aids Program) operating at Angola-Namibia boarders implementing E8 Malaria project targeting cross border mobile populations to eliminate malaria transmission between the countries.
An important component of Malaria elimination is surveillance. Surveillance is observations of breakout cases. This is done through active case investigation and detection to predict, prepare and respond to the malaria outbreaks. Surveillance in the malaria program traces positive malaria cases and test and treat everyone within a 100m radius of the affected patient.
Community members have shown appreciation towards this new initiative stating that: “It is good that everyone was tested, and those who were tested positive were treated right away. It is also good that people do not have to go a long way to the hospital, this way I did not spend a cent ” said a community member when asked whether the project has brought change to the area.
DAPP Namibia's ultimate goal is to continue to be part of the implementing organisations assisting the 8 SADC countries (Angola, Botswana, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, Swaziland, Zambia and Zimbabwe) governments to eliminate malaria in the continent. The elimination goal for Namibia is to be reduced by 2022.
Therefore, DAPP Namibia continues to partake in partnerships, association and collaborations that ensure malaria cases are decreasing and eventually bringing the malaria under control to achieve elimination in Namibia.