Vietnam aims to end malaria with more funding

Hanoi, March 23 (IANS) With more than 450 malaria patients including one death as of 2022, Vietnam has set the target to eliminate the disease with increasing funding and human resources, local media reported on Thursday.

A total of 42 out of 63 provinces and cities across the country have been recognized to be malaria-free, Xinhua news agency quoted local newspaper Vietnam News as saying.

However, more than 6.8 million people are still living in malaria-endemic areas, mainly in Lai Chau, Binh Phuoc and some other provinces, the newspaper reported, citing the National Institute of Malaria-Parasitology-Entomology.

The disease is still circulating in Vietnam due to drug-resistant malaria, population mobility, chemical-resistant mosquitoes, and low investment in malaria prevention and control, the institute said.

The country's health ministry said that it continues to promote professional activities and interventions in malaria hotspots, as well as to maintain surveillance to prevent malaria from returning.

According to experts, it is necessary to strengthen policy advocacy to ensure funding for activities and benefits for health workers, enhance research and apply new and effective techniques and technology in disease prevention, detection and treatment.

In 1991, malaria spread and became serious throughout the country with more than 1 million patients, 4,646 deaths and 144 outbreaks.

The country has recorded no malaria epidemic as of 2022.