LUANDA, Sept. 26 (Xinhua) -- The World Health Organization and the Angolan government jointly opened here on Friday a four-day upgrading course on the management of statistic data on malaria to improve the system of diagnosing malaria in Angola.

According to a statement issued by Angola's Ministry of Health, the course is part of the efforts made by the government to improve vigilance, monitoring and evaluation of interventions to reduce morbid-mortality rates.

The document said 36 medical workers attended the training course, learning the knowledge on defining the population at risk areas, epidemiologic information, human resources available for malaria control, health infrastructures, policies and strategies, education and social mobilization and the specific contribution of various partners of the government involved in the combat to malaria.

The Angolan government attaches great importance to the global efforts for malaria control and has introduced the use of long-lasting impregnated mosquito nets for pregnant women and children below the age of five and indoor insecticide spraying, among others activities.

Malaria is one of the common diseases in Angola which accounts for 35 percent of overall mortality in children and 25 percent of overall maternal mortality.

Every year witnesses about 2 million malaria clinical cases and about 11,000 malaria deaths in the country.