Conference about increasing investment in malaria prevention and control in Vietnam
Tran Thanh Duong, head of the National Institute of Malariology, Parasitology and Entomology, said last year, both the number of malaria patients and people with parasites went down compared to 2018. The number of malaria patients decreased from 6,870 to 5,887 and the number of patients with parasites decreased from 4,813 to 4,665. The rate of malaria parasites per 1,000 people decreased by 4%.
If there are no major outbreak or fatality. 25 out of 64 provinces and cities have met requirements to declare free of malaria in accordance with WHO's malaria control and elimination programme.
During the conference, many attendees also raised concerns about the difficulties and complicated situation in several provinces like Gia Lai, Phu Yen, Dak Lak, Lam Dong, Dak Nong, Quang Tri and Lai Chau. Risk factors for malaria outbreaks at these locations include living in the forests and migration while drug-resistant malaria parasite is becoming a problem.
In order to eradicate malaria in Vietnam by 2030, Duong said they must strictly follow the Ministry of Health's strategies to detect new cases and treat the patients early, raise public awareness and call for fund from international organisations.