Malaria remains a major threat to people's life and health in Mozambique, accounting for 30 percent of deaths in hospitals, according to statistics from a session of the Health Ministry Tuesday in Maputo.

The data said the disease is responsible for 40 percent of outpatient consultations in the country, and 60 percent of all hospitalizations.

Ministry spokesperson Martinho Djedje told press on Tuesday that all the provincial directorates who have so far reported to the meeting have mentioned malaria as one of the most serious problems they face.

The provincial delegations, Djedje added, were unanimous in stressing the need to redouble efforts to combat malaria.

He said that the ministry is considering extending successful projects, such as that undertaken jointly by Mozambique, South Africa and Swaziland as part of the Libombos Spatial Development Initiative.

The project involves health education, spraying homes against mosquitoes twice a year, and the use of rapid diagnoses and treatment of any cases. In areas covered by this project, the number of malaria cases has been slashed by more than 50 percent.

Djedje said the ministry wants to extend this project to other provinces of the country. But he admitted that such anti-malaria projects were "very expensive."

Source: Xinhua