A mosquito rests on a surface. The image is used to illustrate malaria transmission and prevention efforts in Namibia.

NNA News - Namibia has recorded 122,612 confirmed malaria cases and 122 deaths since the beginning of 2026, Health and Social Services Minister Esperance Luvindao said Wednesday.

Luvindao announced the figures in Divundu, Kavango East Region, where she launched the country's 2026 Indoor Residual Spraying (IRS) campaign. The ministry has also recorded 9,956 hospital admissions linked to malaria, according to figures presented by the minister. Of the confirmed infections, 81 per cent were locally transmitted, while 19 per cent were classified as imported cases. “Malaria remains stubbornly endemic in 10 out of the 14 regions of our country,” Luvindao said.

The affected regions are Zambezi, Kavango East, Kavango West, Ohangwena, Omusati, Oshana, Kunene, Oshikoto, Omaheke and Otjozondjupa. The latest figures come as Namibia intensifies its efforts to control malaria transmission through indoor spraying and other prevention measures. Luvindao said a recent external review of Namibia's National Malaria Program Strategy found that the country's malaria diagnosis and case-management systems remained strong, but mosquito-control measures had fallen behind.

The review involved the RBM Partnership to End Malaria, the African Leaders Malaria Alliance and the World Health Organization. In response, the government plans to adopt a phased malaria elimination approach based on the intensity of transmission in different areas. It is also finalising quality-assurance guidelines and strengthening the role of community health workers in malaria testing and treatment.

Namibia also plans to strengthen cooperation with neighbouring Angola, Zambia and Botswana through cross-border surveillance, data sharing and joint response measures aimed at reducing imported infections. A major challenge remains household participation in indoor residual spraying. Earlier ministry figures reported by the Namibian Broadcasting Corporation showed that only about 40 per cent of targeted households were reached during the previous campaign.

The government is now targeting 85 per cent coverage. NBC reported that the 85 per cent figure corresponds with the World Health Organization's recommended target, while WHO has separately reported that Namibia's national IRS coverage is currently around 40 per cent. The IRS programme involves applying insecticide to the interior surfaces of homes to kill mosquitoes that rest indoors and reduce malaria transmission. WHO describes indoor residual spraying as an established vector-control intervention for reducing malaria transmission when properly implemented.

The government is therefore placing greater emphasis on community participation as it seeks to expand coverage and respond to the country's heightened malaria burden.