Assessment of the Potential for Integration of the Malaria Control Programme in Kwazulu-natal into District Health

South Africa has a long-standing malaria programme aimed at controlling both the vector and the parasite of the disease. It has been extremely successful as evidenced by the low mortality rate, the low incidence rate (Strebel et al. 1986, Sharp and le Sueur 1996, Ngxongo 1994) and the large areas of the country freed from epidemics in relation to the situation prior to control (Sharp et al. 1985, Le Sueur et al. 1993). The programme is thus an excellent example of preventative health care, which it should be borne in mind, has a number of components some of which are structured as a vertical programme.