WHO/YEMEN/2021/Malaria case management training in Hadramout governorate
For the past several years, Yemen has been described as the “world’s worst humanitarian crisis” due to its protracted war and subsequent economic collapse. This has only been compounded by the COVID-19 pandemic and the spread of other diseases. In response to the country’s acute and tragic health outcomes, the World Health Organization (WHO), with funding from the King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Centre (KSRelief), is supporting the health system throughout Yemen, including national efforts to prevent and control the spread of malaria and dengue fever.
The program’s implementation began in the southern governorates in October of 2020. Twenty-five volunteers were selected from each district to attend a training course, where they were taught how to detect malaria, diagnose it, treat it, and care for infected patients.
Photo to left: WHO/YEMEN/2021/Manal Awad Mubarak, one of the Community Health Volunteers
One of the program’s community health volunteers, Manal Awad Mubarak, received training on rapid diagnostic testing; confirming cases; determining whether the malaria is sickle cell, active, or mixed; and when to dispense medication or refer the patient for admission. In Mr. Mubarak’s words:
“Even though I find it challenging to walk long distances to canvass communities, it is worth it because our patients cannot make it to us otherwise or afford treatments.”
“By detecting and monitoring cases early, and submitting reports to the district and governorate coordinators, we can intervene rapidly. The program started at the end of 2020, and within two months, 641 tested cases were registered, including 79 positive cases treated by volunteers. As of the beginning of 2021, 3,751 cases were recorded, including 228 positive cases, most of them in the Mocha district, Taiz governorate. Ultimately, they were treated by community health volunteers in the district.”
During her field visits, Dr. Al-Amoudi, often encounters female patients who complain of fevers, headaches, and joint pain. Thanks to her quick diagnostic methods, she is able to give them treatments that enable them to recover within two days. At the same time, she raises community awareness about how to prevent malaria. Thanks to the WHO and KSRelief, Yemen has built key malaria control strategies, including:
1. Case management: Providing malaria drugs to 1,496 healthcare facilities in all governorates; establishing 7 fever treatment centers (in Aden, Lahj, Taiz, Hodeidah, Hajjah, Shabwa, and Hadramout); delivering training to 1,000 health workers; and providing over one million rapid diagnostic tests for malaria and dengue fever. 2. Vector-borne disease control: Carrying out indoor residual fogging for 1.6 million people and providing 1.3 million displaced people with long-term insecticide nets. 3. Disease surveillance: Through 2,000 health centers and 16 sentinel sites epidemiologists are monitoring the prevalence of insects and building a national reporting center.