KIGALI, Jan. 28 (Xinhua) -- Rwanda on Tuesday launched a 6-month campaign dubbed "Zero malaria starts with me" as part of the country's efforts to eradicate the disease, according to the Rwandan Ministry of Health.
"The campaign will complement Rwanda's existing efforts to prevent and combat malaria through different treatment and preventive measures across the country," said Health Minister Diane Gashumba while launching the campaign in the capital Kigali.
The nationwide campaign will involve the use of drones to spray larvicides in mosquito breeding sites most especially in swamps, marshlands and woody areas, a method taken for the first time in the country's history, she said.
Gashumba called on Rwandans to ensure proper domestic hygiene through clearing bushes and stagnant water that favor mosquito breeding.
The Rwandan government is partnering with Charis Unmanned Aerial Solutions, a local drone technology company to use drones to fight malaria, according to the ministry.
Each drone, fitted with a 10-liter tank carrying insecticide, follows a pre-mapped route and sprays over mosquito breeding sites starting on Tuesday in suburbs of Kigali, said the ministry.
Malaria cases dropped from 4.8 million in 2018 to 3.7 million in 2019, according to Rwanda Biomedical Center.
In June 2018, at the African Union (AU) 31st Ordinary Session, heads of state and government endorsed the "Zero malaria starts with me" continent-wide campaign, which was led by the AU and RBM Partnership to End Malaria, a global partnership for a malaria-free world aimed at building a malaria-free Africa.
The campaign targets grassroots movements and appeals to all stakeholders -- political leaders, private sectors, communities and other members of society -- to be committed to the fight against malaria, according to the AU.
