Hard-hit Thatta to pilot major malaria elimination initiative
Thatta declared Pakistan’s most malaria-affected district; new AKU-led initiative aims to create a model for nationwide elimination. IV Report KARACHI: On World Malaria Day, April 25, stakeholders launched a major initiative aimed at eliminating mosquito-borne infectious diseases in Thatta, which they identified as the most malaria-burdened district in Sindh, Pakistan. The launch ceremony, held at the Aga Khan University (AKU), was attended by Sindh Health Minister Dr Azra Fazal Pechuho—who also serves as the Patron-in-Chief of the project—as the chief guest. Attendees were informed that Thatta had reported 10,000 malaria cases in 2023, the highest count in the country, according to a press release issued by AKU. "The government of Sindh is proud to support this incredible initiative, which has the potential to uplift suffering communities across Sindh," said Minister Dr Pechuho. The initiative, known as the Thatta Malaria Elimination Plan (TMEP), envisio...