Jointly conducted by the Liberian Health Ministry's Malaria Control Program, World Health Organization (WHO) and the Global Fund, the baseline study was intended to determine progress towards achieving the Abuja targets of 60 percent coverage for key malaria interventions in 2006.
 
Doctor Joel Jones, head of the Malaria Control Program, told reporters at the launch of the report that there was a need to strengthen laboratory diagnosis of malaria cases at medical institutions. Jones said laboratory confirmed cases of malaria put children under age 5 at over 67 percent, while pregnant women account for nearly 47 percent.
 
Health authorities here have begun a campaign to promote strategies aimed at preventing malaria because, they said, Chloroquine has become ineffective as the first line anti-Malaria treatment. A new combined drug has been introduced along with the intermittent preventive treatment (IPT). Another strategy to fight malaria is promoting the use of insecticide- treated mosquito bed nets, but just a small percentage of Liberians are using bed nets, the study shows.
 
"Only 2.6% (273 out of 8,933) of children less than five years slept under insecticide treated mosquito nets the previous night. The net coverage is too low if compared to Abuja targets of at least 60%. The percentage of household owning at least one mosquito net is only 18% compared to Abuja target of at least 60%," according to the study. The report also said the death rate as a result of malaria was high.
 
"Malaria-attributed deaths in surveyed health facilities are 57.75%, which is 708 malaria-attributed deaths out of 1,226 deaths recorded at health facilities," the report said. It said mortality puts children under the age of five at 46.4% and pregnant women at 42.3%.
 
Health authorities said a repeat of the Malaria Baseline Survey would enable them to determine the level of improvement of the malaria survey in the country. 10 March 2007 - PANA