ZIMBABWE
Overview
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Zimbabwe’s Isdell:Flowers Cross Border Malaria Initiative work is implemented by the Anglican Diocese of Matabeleland and the Methodist Church in Zimbabwe – Harare East District (MCZ), in partnership with the National Malaria Control Programme (NMCP) of the Ministry of Health and Child Care of Zimbabwe. The Anglican Diocese of Harare joined the Isdell:Flowers Cross Border Malaria Initiative in April 2023.
The Diocese of Matabeleland facilitates malaria work in 2 districts within Matabeleland North province, The Diocese of Harare facilitates malaria work in 2 districts within Mashonaland West Province, and MCZ facilitates malaria work in the Mudzi district of Mashonaland East province.​
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The Isdell:Flowers program areas in Zimbabwe and the neighboring municipalities are outlined below. To download the map as a PDF, click here.
MALARIA WORK IN ACTION
Anglican Diocese of Matabeleland
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Local malaria volunteers provide education to their communities
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More than 200 village health workers and malaria control agents from Mashonaland West and Matabeleland North provinces deliver malaria education to families through door to door teaching visits. In 2022, they conducted 64,764 household visits within their own communities.
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Village health workers are equipped to provide malaria testing and treatment services
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Village health workers identify community members with malaria symptoms, and provide malaria testing and treatment services. In 2022, Village health workers tested 12,386 individuals with suspected malaria, of whom 3,209 tested positive and 3,193 received treatment for malaria from a village health worker or a health facility that they were referred to.
Local leaders accelerate the fight against malaria
The Diocese of Matabeleland collaborates with the National Malaria Control Program to provide malaria training for local leaders -- including faith leaders, Chiefs, and headmen. Once trained, they encourage their communities to practice malaria prevention and to seek treatment when they have malaria symptoms.
Extending the reach of the government's Indoor Residual Spraying campaign
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The Diocese of Matabeleland supported the National Malaria Control Program's Indoor Residual Spraying (IRS) campaign by mobilizing communities to accept IRS through community education and door-to-door household visits. According to annual survey data, IRS coverage among program areas in Mashonaland West and Matabeleland North in 2021 was 98%.
Methodist Church in Zimbabwe (MCZ), Harare East District
Community health workers and malaria control agents deliver malaria education and case management services
Community health workers (CHWs) and malaria control agents (MCAs) conducted 36,263 household visits. Through these visits, CHWs provide malaria education and testing and treatment services. In 2022, CHWs tested 20,867 individuals, of whom, 5,920 tested positive and 5,920 received treatment from a CHW or a health facility that they were referred to.
Updating the skills and knowledge of community health workers
77 CHWs received refresher training on malaria transmission, prevention, and case management principles, facilitated collaboratively by MCZ staff and Ministry of Health and Child Care officials.
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Conducting road shows to encourage malaria treatment seeking and prevention
In 2022, 14 malaria “road shows” were held by MCZ staff, CHWs, and malaria volunteers across all six program area wards in Mudzi District, reaching hundreds of community members with education on malaria transmission, the importance of seeking malaria testing within 24 hours of fever onset, early booking of antenatal care for pregnant women, and the importance of taking three or more doses of intermittent preventive treatment of malaria in pregnancy (IPTp).
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Reaching isolated, nomadic populations with malaria education and testing and treatment services
MCZ staff and CHWs conducted several visits to remote, informal settlements of nomadic farmers and artisanal miners where malaria education and malaria testing and treatment services, bridging a large gap in malaria services among these communities. 4,214 artisanal miners and 1898 nomadic farmers were reached with these services in 2022.
DATA FOR DECISION MAKING
Measuring Malaria and Malaria Efforts in Zimbabwe
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In partnership with the J.C. Flowers Foundation, the Anglican Diocese of Matabeleland, The Anglican Diocese of Harare, and the Methodist Church in Zimbabwe - Harare East District carry out an annual survey to measure changes in levels of malaria knowledge, attitudes, and key malaria prevention practices among households located in villages that are a part of the malaria programs. This data is used by the Diocese of Matabeleland, Harare, MCZ, and community members living in program areas to guide program planning and prioritization. Click the button below to view Zimbabwe's 2023 KAP survey results.
VOLUNTEER SPOTLIGHT
Edinah Karoti
Village Health Worker
Mudzi District, Zimbabwe
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Photo: Edinah (left) providing malaria services in the shelter built by the community
Edinah's Story
Edinah Karoti is a Village Health Worker (VHW) in Zimbabwe’s Mudzi District. As a trained VHW, Edinah is responsible for providing malaria education, testing, and treatment to nearly 250 households in Botso Village. Before Edinah was trained as a VHW in 2019, families had to undertake a three-hour journey – often with children on their backs – to seek medical attention at the nearest health clinic. Now families have access to care right in their community.
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Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, Edinah was conducting at least 20 malaria tests a month in her home. Once the threat of COVID-19 arrived, Edinah became fearful about conducting malaria tests within her home, considering that close contact with others put her family at risk. Edinah felt that an outdoor shelter for malaria testing and treatment would be a safer environment for malaria testing and treatment, but she was not sure how to make this dream a reality.
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During this time, the Isdell:Flowers Cross Border Malaria Initiative and Methodist Church of Zimbabwe staff provided a refresher training to Edinah and other VHWs working in the area. Isdell:Flowers worked with Edinah to engage the village headman regarding the building of a structure for malaria testing and treatment. The village headman liked this idea and proposed it to community members, who then mobilized material for the shelter and built it together with Edinah. Construction of the shelter was finished in April 2020.
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Edinah received even greater respect and recognition for her important work in the community. Even more, community members felt a sense of ownership over the malaria elimination efforts since they played a key role in turning Edinah’s dream into a reality. During the months of April, May, and June, Edinah treated a total of 108 patients for malaria.
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“The shelter built by the community members is helpful because my family will not have to leave the house after a patient has come. I also feel safe, as there are fewer chances of my children and me catching disease because I will be working in the shelter with good ventilation. My medicines are also protected from sun and wind.”
- Edinah Karoti
ZIMBABWE
MALARIA WORK IN NUMBERS
101,027
household teaching visits conducted by malaria volunteers
Year:
2022
10
Health Centre Committees in Mudzi District met regularly to review malaria data and take collective action to address barriers to malaria elimination
77
Community health workers in Mudzi District were trained in updated malaria case management policies, and put their knowledge into practice when identifying malaria cases in their communities
33,253
Suspected malaria cases were identified by health workers across five districts. 9,129 tested positive and 9,113 were treated
98%
The indoor residual spraying (IRS) coverage achieved in Matabeleland North and Mashonaland West program areas that were targeted for IRS, signifying strong acceptance of this important malaria prevention intervention
DIOCESE OF MATABELELAND TEAM
Bulawayo
The Right Reverend Cleophas Lunga
Bishop, Anglican Diocese of Matabeleland
Matabeland North
Nomathamsanqa Ndebele
Bookkeeper
Pulelo Bhebhe
Program Manager
Newton Mudenda
Field Officer, Binga District
Anton Mungombe
Field Officer, Binga District
Nothando Ndlovu
Information Officer
Themba Sibanda
Field Officer, Hwange District
Zimbabwe – Methodist Church in Zimbabwe (MCZ) , East Harare District
Harare
Bishop Edmore Chiota
Bishop, Methodist Church in Zimbabwe, Harare East District
Faith Chamunorwa
Finance Officer
Sarah Tembedza
Board Chairperson
Mashonaland East
Monitor Chimango
Acting Programme Manager
Mukudzeishe Ndongwe
Data Clerk and Field Officer
Primrose Rumombe
Senior Field Officer
Oliver Sachikonye
Administrative and Field Officer
DIOCESE OF HARARE TEAM
Harare
Bishop Farai Mutamiri
Bishop, Diocese of Harare
Stan Tsingo
Finance Manager, Diocese of Harare
Mashonaland West
Shepherd Mahlahleni
Field Officer, Kariba District
Fredrick Ncube
Field Officer, Hurungwe District
Philmar Vinga
Program Manager
Communities affected by malaria are at the heart of this work. Malaria elimination is possible because of committed volunteers and activists, teachers, faith and traditional leaders, and mobilized communities.
