A national conference was held in Hanoi on May 13, focusing on sustainable investment for fighting malaria.
Co-hosted by the Ministry of Public Health and the World HealthOrganisation, the event was attended by representatives from relevantagencies and international organisations in Vietnam.
Recentunofficial statistics show that there are 15 million Vietnamese peopleliving in malaria-impacted areas, and treatment drug resistance wasrecorded in five provinces across the country.
According to Director of the National Institute of Malariology,Parasitology and Entomology Tran Thanh Duong, the State budget formalaria prevention was about 100 billion VND (4.6 million USD) each yearfrom 2010 to 2013, helping provide mosquito-repellent and medicine tomillions of people.
Through the tireless efforts made byministries, sectors and localities and the support from the Government,the number of malaria cases reduced remarkably from 155 cases per 10,000people in 1991 to only three per 10,000 in 2014. The malariamortality rate also saw a strong decrease with only six deaths reportedin 2014.
However, the country still records nearly30,000 incidences of malaria annually, including about 110 patients withmalignant malaria.
Last year, the State budgetsources funnelled into disease prevention decreased by half and grantsfrom international organisations have been cut, posing challenges to thecountry’s target of full elimination of malaria.
Additionally, the number and quality of personnel operating in the field has yet to meet demand, especially in remote areas.
Foreignrepresentatives warned that the disease is likely to break out again ifpreventive measures are not implemented drastically and the investmentfor the work is neglected.
Vietnam hopes to eradicate malaria by 2030. From 2011-2020, thecountry aims to offer universal access to early-diagnosis and timely andeffective malaria treatment at public and private medicalestablishments while providing vulnerable communities with preventionmethods.-VNA
Co-hosted by the Ministry of Public Health and the World HealthOrganisation, the event was attended by representatives from relevantagencies and international organisations in Vietnam.
Recentunofficial statistics show that there are 15 million Vietnamese peopleliving in malaria-impacted areas, and treatment drug resistance wasrecorded in five provinces across the country.
According to Director of the National Institute of Malariology,Parasitology and Entomology Tran Thanh Duong, the State budget formalaria prevention was about 100 billion VND (4.6 million USD) each yearfrom 2010 to 2013, helping provide mosquito-repellent and medicine tomillions of people.
Through the tireless efforts made byministries, sectors and localities and the support from the Government,the number of malaria cases reduced remarkably from 155 cases per 10,000people in 1991 to only three per 10,000 in 2014. The malariamortality rate also saw a strong decrease with only six deaths reportedin 2014.
However, the country still records nearly30,000 incidences of malaria annually, including about 110 patients withmalignant malaria.
Last year, the State budgetsources funnelled into disease prevention decreased by half and grantsfrom international organisations have been cut, posing challenges to thecountry’s target of full elimination of malaria.
Additionally, the number and quality of personnel operating in the field has yet to meet demand, especially in remote areas.
Foreignrepresentatives warned that the disease is likely to break out again ifpreventive measures are not implemented drastically and the investmentfor the work is neglected.
Vietnam hopes to eradicate malaria by 2030. From 2011-2020, thecountry aims to offer universal access to early-diagnosis and timely andeffective malaria treatment at public and private medicalestablishments while providing vulnerable communities with preventionmethods.-VNA
