Will Zanzibar succeed in eliminating malaria?

Malaria is still one of the biggest killers for children under five in Africa.

But in Zanzibar, the semi-autonomous island part of Tanzania, there have been huge efforts by the government and development partners since the early 2000s to eliminate the disease.

Their efforts have seemingly paid off and in the last decade, Zanzibar has maintained a malaria prevalence rate below 1%.

It is particularly impressive when just across the island on mainland Tanzania, the rate of malaria remains much higher.

But it isn’t all optimistic. The World Malaria Report showed that malaria cases in Zanzibar in 2021 were once again on the rise.

To find out more, Alan Kasujja has been speaking to one of those who spearheaded Zanzibar Malaria Elimination Programme, Shija Joseph Shija, to find out how the island has drastically reduced malaria cases.

He also spoke to malaria researcher, Dr. Lwidiko Mhamilawa, to learn more about the recent resurgence in cases.