The phase of the mass treatment against malaria in Ngazidja will start. Since last Saturday, the Chinese medical mission that will lead the operation is in Moroni. The mission of Dr. Deng Changsheng is mainly composed of five people, including physicians, microscopists and administrators. These experts will join Comoros technical teams, which will consist of agents of the National Malaria Control Programme (NMCP), NGOs, health districts and communities, among others, all working towards malaria eradication on the island. This mass treatment, which is called "Fast Elimination of Malaria by Source Eradication, FEMSE" is to quickly eliminate malaria with the drug Artequick obtained from the combination of Artemisinin and Piperaquinine. "Two tablets for the first dose, and two others after for a second dose, and the issue is resolved in 48 hours, blocking the transmission, and with low toxicity, "can be read on awareness posters. This initiative is funded by the Chinese government, particularly the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Science and Technology, the Ministry of Trade, the governor of the province of Guangdong, Guangzhou University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, and the Embassy of China in Comoros. Already, nine million Euros were invested in this program in Mwali in 2007 and in Ndzouani in 2012, where it has been a success because currently there are less than 1% of infections per month, only 4 to 5 cases. According to Dr. Affane Bacar, the coordinator of the National Malaria Control Programme (NMCP), "the mass treatment in Ngazidja will definitely start in September, and the fixed date will be communicated by the vice president in charge of Health with whom we will establish the exact timing of the treatment," he said.
In any case, according to Dr. Deng Changsheng, the Chinese mission will stay five months and after this period, the specialist will have to return for evaluation at the end of each quarter. As far as the treatment is concerned, it is free and it will be given to everyone. According to the head of the Chinese mission, "the treatment ensures the eradication of the disease by 99, 99%." The treatment is done by household, door to door, in the cities, towns, regions, districts, public places, health posts and hospitals. According to forecasts, if this campaign in Ngazidja becomes a success, as was the case in the other islands of the archipelago, malaria death rate will drop to 99% and the Comoros will achieve its goal to eliminate the disease by 2015, a commitment made by the member countries of the African Union at the Abuja summit in May 2006 and also within the framework of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) of the United Nations.

Nassila Ben Ali