In our continuous struggle to fight against malaria in Guadalcanal province, the provincial malaria program has organized a visit to Kobiloko village where is located on Westside of Guadalcanal island.
The trip was organized due to abnormal increase of cases reported from the said village by their nearby clinic. We found that there was some breeding site of malaria mosquito (anopheles) which is a vector of malaria, the disease. On site, the field staff indentified a major breeding site, was a big water pool in the center of the village.
The pool was identified as only mosquito breeds inside and was very suitable for mosquito breeding.
We alerted the villagers about the findings, where they respond positively by digging an opening to the sea, allowing the water to flow out and the dirt that was long stored inside.
And also we were cleaning up around the pool. People of Kobiloko village are very cooperative and they are very motivated to make healthy environment. They set up health committee to keep on continuing their activity of cleaning up of village.
We consider that community participation is very important for not only malaria but also healthy life. So we believe that they can stop transmission of malaria by their effort in few months.
Also during the visit to the village, tools were donated by malaria program to support the cleanup campaign.
Other communities in Guadalcanal and elsewhere are encouraged to “STOP MALARIA CAMPAIGN” by cleaning their villages and possible suspected breeding sites.
By Francis Otto
Provincial malaria control program manager
