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Table 1 Chronology of key milestones for malaria control in Botswana

From: Malaria control in Botswana, 2008–2012: the path towards elimination

Year

Key milestones

1950

Malaria control activities in Botswana started in 1950s with a programme that focused mainly on vector control using IRS with DDT

1974

A comprehensive programme was initiated with emphasis on a number of components (vector control, case management and health education)

1996

Malaria vector control through IRS as a vertical programme was decentralized from central government to district level under the primary health care approach

1996

Weekly notification of malaria cases introduced with indicators of confirmed, unconfirmed and malaria deaths being reported

1997

NMP Botswana introduced the use of insecticide-treated nets (ITNs) as a complementary strategy to IRS.

1998

Sulfadoxine–pyrimethamine introduced as first-line treatment following evidence of resistance to chloroquine between 1994 and 1997

2003

IDSR strategy introduced incorporating malaria indicators

2007

NMP introduced ACT adopting artemether-lumefantrine as first-line treatment for uncomplicated malaria and RDT for malaria diagnosis in all districts

2009

In line with the move to malaria elimination, a policy change required all cases to be tested before treatment

Re-introduction of DDT for IRS and switch to use of ITNs to LLINs as strategy to achieve elimination

Following a comprehensive NMP review, Botswana adopted move towards malaria elimination, and the target was set for 2015

2010

Malaria policy developed to guide implementation of malaria interventions. Malaria Strategic Plan 2010 –15 using recommendations from programme review of 2009.

Mass free distribution of LLINs adopted

2012

Case-based surveillance introduced