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The Minister of Health, Dr. Austin Demby, joined international partners to distribute insecticide-treated mosquito nets to Pupils at the Aberdeen Municipal Primary School.
The event, held in anticipation of World Malaria Day this Saturday, April 25, served as a symbolic launch of the government’s reinforced campaign to eradicate a disease that remains the country’s most pressing public health threat.
Minister Demby spotlighted the critical role of young people in shaping Sierra Leone’s future. He was deeply touched by the strong desire of the children to serve as medical professionals. “Your ambition to become doctors, nurses, scientists, lab technicians, and leaders in the health sector is inspiring,” he told the children. “But to achieve your dreams, you must stay healthy. And staying healthy starts with protecting yourself from malaria.”
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The urgency of the distribution is backed by sobering statistics. In 2024, Sierra Leone recorded approximately 1.17 million malaria cases, with a devastating fatality rate of nearly 30% among children under five.
Accompanied by Dr. Melchoir Athanase Joel C. Aissi, Director General of the West Africa Health Organization (WAHO), Dr. Demby broke down the science of prevention into simple terms for the students. He explained that the nets act as a physical and chemical barrier against the mosquitoes that carry the parasite.
“If you sleep under a mosquito net, the mosquito cannot bite you. And if it cannot bite you, you cannot get malaria,” he told the children, describing the net not merely as a household item, but as a “shield” for their futures.
The Aberdeen distribution is part of a massive nationwide effort. To date, the National Malaria Control Programme has distributed roughly 5 million nets across the country, prioritizing the most vulnerable families.
As Sierra Leone prepares for the official commemoration on Saturday, the message from the Ministry of Health is clear: the fight against malaria is not just a medical necessity—it is an investment in the human capital of the nation.
