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By François Nshimiyimana
Residents of Ngeruka Sector in Bugesera District are pushing for stronger malaria protection following a community awareness campaign conducted by the Rwanda NGOs Forum on HIV/AIDS and Health Promotion (RNGOF), in partnership with the Rwanda Biomedical Centre (RBC), with support from the Global Fund, conducted on November 19, 2025.
The event brought together participants, including boarding school students, rice farmers, fishermen, hotel workers, miners, healthcare providers, security personnel, refugees, and prisoners. We were sensitized on malaria symptoms, prevention, and treatment and encouraged to seek medical care early and consistently use long-lasting insecticidal nets.
Bugesera District recently recorded 2,815 malaria cases in one month, a situation that continues to raise concern among residents, especially those working in swamp farming areas, despite ongoing prevention efforts by health partners.
During the event, local leaders, peer educators, and community health workers conducted interactive demonstrations on how to properly use bed nets, eliminate mosquito breeding grounds by draining stagnant water, and recognize signs of malaria. Cultural performances and educational skits were used to deliver health messages in an engaging and relatable way.
Residents say swamp areas increase malaria risk.
A resident of Karama Village in Nyakayenzi Cell in that sector of Ngeruka, Edite Usabyimfura, said the community continues to suffer from malaria due to inadequate protection and frequent exposure to mosquitoes while working in swamp areas.
She said that “Our sector is heavily affected by malaria because we still lack strong protection. Even though our houses are sprayed and we receive treated bed nets, we remain exposed when farming in swamps, which are breeding places for mosquitoes.”
She appealed for more preventative support, including spraying swamp areas and providing protective boots for farmers who spend long hours in waterlogged fields.
The Executive Secretary of Ngeruka Sector, Kaddafi Amaible, confirmed that the sector ranks among the most affected areas in Bugesera, partly due to its proximity to Lake Cyohoha in both the north and the south. He emphasized that some residents still fail to clear bushes and stagnant water around their homes, which increases mosquito breeding.
“Ngeruka is at the top of one sector in Bugesera with high malaria cases. While our location near Lake Cyohoha contributes to the risk, the main issue is that some residents still don’t eliminate mosquito breeding places near their homes,” he said.
He said the sector has intensified prevention efforts by spraying households, distributing insecticide-treated nets, and mobilizing communities to clean their surroundings.
Ngeruka Health Center Manager Donatha Musabimana said the geographic conditions of the sector, coupled with previous use of less effective malaria medication, contributed to persistent infection. She said health workers have since been trained to use new treatment protocols.
Musabimana added that the sector recently recorded two severe malaria cases caused by delayed treatment.
She stated, “When malaria becomes severe, the parasites leave the bloodstream and spread to other parts of the body, including the brain. That’s why early treatment is crucial.”
She also said that last month alone, Ngeruka treated 2,815 malaria patients out of 4,457, without any recorded deaths, but the numbers place the sector at the top of malaria cases in Bugesera.
District leadership pledges continued action.
Bugesera Vice Mayor for Social Affairs, Yvette Imanishimwe, who officiated the campaign, reaffirmed the district’s commitment to intensifying prevention measures and working with residents to eliminate malaria.
He said that “Bugesera remains among the districts most affected by both ordinary and severe malaria. However, we are implementing strong interventions such as community mobilization, increasing access to treated nets, indoor spraying, and clearing mosquito breeding sites. Working together with residents, we are confident malaria can be eliminated as well as possible.”
Bugesera District is ranked first in the Eastern Province and second nationwide in malaria cases. Authorities say sustained community involvement and continued health interventions will be key to defeating the disease.
