Back
3. Malaria control programs in Mozambique and Brazil are proving effective
Southern Mozambique, where our Mozal aluminium smelter is located, is an area where malaria is a major problem. We are supporting government initiatives to control malaria in order to improve social conditions and enhance the economic potential of the region. In Brazil, the northern state of Pará has the highest incidence of malaria in Latin America. In the county of Oriximiná, where our Mineração Rio do Norte (MRN) bauxite operation is located, a malaria control program we are supporting is also helping to alleviate the impact of the disease.
The Lubombo Spatial Development Initiative (LSDI) is a program established by the governments of Mozambique, Swaziland and South Africa to develop the Lubombo region - southern Mozambique, eastern Swaziland and north-eastern Kwa-Zulu Natal - into a globally competitive economic zone.
The success of the initiative is threatened by malaria, which not only causes tragic loss of life but also impacts on productivity and tourism. In collaboration with the LSDI team, we have played a key role in implementing a malaria control program in the region around our operations.
The program involves the spraying of buildings and homes in the region and controlling mosquito breeding sites. Around 65 000 dwellings have been sprayed to date.
Other initiatives include the establishment of a dedicated malaria laboratory to facilitate early diagnosis and treatment. Bednets are being distributed to homes; and community awareness is being raised through educational activities, including local theatre performances.
Since the spraying program began in 2000, surveys show a significant decline in mosquito numbers and the rate of infections. There was a 50 per cent reduction in the incidence of malaria during the period 2001 to 2002 and a further 50 per cent reduction from 2002 to June 2003.
In the state of Pará in Brazil, the communities of the region are scattered along 250 kilometres of the Trombetas River, a tributary of the Amazon. The aim of the program is to reduce mortality rates and improve the quality of life of these riverside communities.
The program supports a malaria prevention team based at the local Porto Trombetas hospital. Their focus is to raise community awareness of ways to control and avoid malaria. They carry out a mosquito control spraying program and promote such activities as using bednets, installing screens on windows and doors, and not allowing still water to accumulate near homes.
The team faces numerous challenges. Incidence is highest during the few months of low and high water, but it takes time for spraying teams to visit the communities, as most can only be reached by boat or trekking through the jungle. The village huts mostly have neither windows nor doors, so mosquitoes have easy access; and cultural traditions mean changing habits can be slow.
Despite these difficulties, the vigilant team is achieving significant results, with reported cases in the region falling by 96 per cent since 1999.
