By Spy Uganda
The Ministry of Health has announced ten mosquito-repelling plants in a war aimed at kicking malaria out of Uganda.
The plants named by the Permanent Secretary of Ministry of Health, Dr Diana Atwine include;
• Lemon grass, which can also be used in food and tea
• Rosemary which can be boiled and the mixture is used as spray indoors
• Garlic, which can also be used for other benefits if added to food
• Onions and garlic when added in meals prompt the release of a compound called allicin. Allicin has the ability to inhibit malaria infection which is transferred through mosquito bites, according to research
• Lemon balm
• Peppermint
• Basil
•Lavender
•Eucalyptus
• Lantana camara
Malaria Statistics
According to World Health Organisation, Uganda recorded about 15 million cases of malaria in 2021 and approximately 20,000 deaths in the same year.
Dr Atwiine says 52 people die of malaria per day, which is about 1,560 deaths every month.
These comes at a time when the world is gearing up to celebrate the World Malaria Day, an international observance commemorated every year on 25 April aiming at recognizing global efforts to control malaria.
According to the most recent World Malaria Report, the global tally of malaria reached 429,000 malaria deaths and 212 million new cases in 2015.
The rate of new malaria cases fell by 21 per cent globally between 2010 and 2015, and malaria death rates fell by 29 per cent in the same period. In sub-Saharan Africa, case incidence and death rates fell by 21 per cent and 31 per cent, respectively.
