Botswana has recorded a significant decline in the malaria cases, a senior government official said on Monday. Speaking at a malaria sensitization workshop in Francistown, Botswana's second largest city situated some 430km northeast of the capital of Gaborone on Monday, Francistown City Council (FCC) Chief Health Officer Lopang Pule attributed the significant decline to public participation in the fight against malaria. "In 2000, 77,555 cases and 35 deaths were reported as compared to 12,196 malaria cases and eight deaths in 2010. And in 2011, 1, 141 cases and seven deaths were reported," Xinhua quoted Pule as saying. According to Pule, the significant decline was the result of concerted efforts by government and its partners in the fight against malaria. "The community at large is playing a significant role in the fight against malaria," he said. Botswana has so far attained the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and the Abuja Declaration (signed in Nigeria a decade ago) targets for malaria, he said. "The (Botswana) government was on track to eliminate malaria by 2015. Also the malaria situation in some districts across the country had improved greatly through interventions such as spraying, the use of mosquito nets and early treatment of infected people," he said.
