Malaria and COVID-19: A double battle for Burundi

Abstract

Malaria has become a serious public health concern in Burundi. An outbreak that has the potential to evolve into an epidemic has eradicated nearly as many individuals as the Ebola crisis within the adjacent Democratic Republic of the Congo. The government's delay to announce a national crisis, increased breeding sites as a result of flooding, and the presence of multi-drug resistant malaria have exacerbated the burden. With a concurrent COVID-19 pandemic, economic complications, and overlap of symptoms between both diseases, these challenges are complex, but not unfamiliar. Organizations such as Médecins Sans Frontières have carried out spraying campaigns, and the government is actively mitigating efforts to handle the pandemic. That being said, there is still a need to enhance preventive measures such as increasing technological capacity and epidemiological surveillance to better withstand challenges.

Keywords

• Malaria
• COVID-19
• Public health
• Pandemic
• Burundi