Gabrielle Fitzgerald of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation is on the ground in Zanzibar with Dr. Margaret Chan, Mr. Ray Chambers, and Dr. Tachi Yamada. She reports back on their third day:

Maliza Malaria!

Walking through the empty pediatric ward of the Mnazi Mmoja Hospital, Zanzibar’s malaria director, Dr. Abdullah Ali described the scene three years ago: three children in each bed, with many more sleeping on the floor, “The whole situation has changed completely,” he said.

This visit capped a day where the delegation learned more about Zanzibar’s incredible progress in the fight against malaria. Over the past decade, Zanzibar’s malaria prevalence has dropped to less than 1 percent, virtually eliminating hospital admissions and death due to malaria. 
Despite the good news, Zanzibar’s history provides a cautionary tale in the fight against malaria. This is the third time in 40 years Zanzibar has come close to eliminating this disease. In the past, the government gave up the fight too soon, and malaria came surging back. This time will be different, vow officials at every level of the government.

“We can no longer afford another bout of malaria resurgence,” Dr Abdullah Ali told the delegation.

To prevent that from happening, Zanzibar is maintaining their insecticide spraying campaign and encouraging people to sleep under nets. Through the U.S. Government’s President’s Malaria Initiative, Zanzibar has piloted the Malaria Early Epidemic Detection System, a partnership with the local mobile phone company to provide data to Zanzibar’s malaria office on a weekly basis. By looking at trends, officials monitor any possible malaria resurgence, to determine what may be causing the malaria, and what they can do to stop it.
 Zanzibar is truly close to reaching their goal of Maliza Malaria!



-Gabrielle Fitzgerald, Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation