Malaria is circulating mainly in Vietnam’s central, Central Highlands and southeastern regions. (Photo: VNA)Hanoi (VNA) – Vietnam
is expected to put an end to Plasmodium
falciparum malaria parasite by
2025, towards eliminating all species of malaria by 2030 as recommended by the
(WHO).
The Institute of Malaria,
Parasite and Insects reported that malaria is circulating mainly in Vietnam’s central,
Central Highlands and southeastern regions.
Fewer cases have occurred in
northern localities, with most of the infections carried by migrants from the
central and Central Highlands regions, and Vietnamese workers returning from
Laos, Cambodia, Angola, Tanzania, Sudan and Nigeria.
In 2018, Vietnam recorded 6,870
cases of malaria, down 18.3 percent year-on-year. The number of patients with
malaria parasites in the year amounted to 4,813, up 5.8 percent compared with
2017, with one death reported.
The country has devised a legal
framework and policies on malaria prevention, while the Government has made
fighting malaria a .
These efforts have received the
enthusiastic response from citizens and social organisations, the institute
said, noting improvements in malaria diagnosis and treatment.
However, the outcomes of the work
have remained unstable as malaria parasites have increased over the past two
years and many localities face a high rise of malaria infections.
One of the main reasons behind
this problem lies with limited investment from the State budget, international
organisations and localities, the institute pointed out.
Under the strategy, the Ministry
of Health aims to follow three stages – malaria control, elimination and
prevention of malaria re-introduction.
Accordingly, by 2020, nine
localities are hoped to be in malaria control, 26 in malaria elimination and 28
in the last stage. By 2025, the goal is no localities being in the first stage,
eight in malaria elimination and 55 in the prevention of malaria
re-introduction.
According to the WHO, malaria is
a common and life-threatening disease in many tropical and subtropical areas.
There are currently more than 100 countries and territories where there is a
risk of malaria transmission, and these are visited by more than 125 million
international travellers every year. -VNA
Source: VietnamPlus
