SANAA, 26 October 2007 — Yemen is to extend an anti-malaria campaign to curb the outbreak of the epidemic on its side of the border with Saudi Arabia, state news agency reported yesterday.
The campaign, that is to begin tomorrow, would target 104,000 houses in provinces of Saada, Hajja and Al-Houdieda, located on the border with the Kingdom, the agency said.
Under a joint plan set up by Yemeni and Saudi authorities, the three-week campaign would focus on mosquito-infested areas where damp climate and heavy rainfall in the foothills serve as ideal breeding grounds for the mosquitoes that spread the disease.
Since 2003, Saudi Arabia has been providing technical and financial support to Yemen, mainly insecticide spraying vehicles, to help spray insecticides in areas with epidemic malaria on the Yemeni side of the 1,458-kilometer border.
Saudi malariologists have also been working hand-in-hand with their Yemeni counterparts.
Malaria is a major health problem in Yemen.
Yemen recently received $16 millions — much of it from Saudi Arabia — to help with its anti-malaria efforts.
