Public Health Ministry set to make 2024 malaria-zero

[Lite Beer]

Public Health Ministry set to make 2024 malaria-zero

BANGKOK, 26 April 2015 (NNT) – The Ministry of Public Health is set on making Thailand a malaria-zero country, as malaria patients are on a decline.

To achieve the goal, the Ministry of Public Health will beef up its PR campaign and measures, including the malaria mosquito elimination, expansion of access to diagnosis and treatment for the general people, especially those in border areas where infection is most likely.

The Disease Control Department, meanwhile, disclosed that this year’s malaria cases among Thai people between January and April had dropped by 21 percent from the same period last year. Cases among foreign people also fell 26 percent. Provinces with the highest number of infections were Ubon Ratchathani, Tak, Kanchanaburi and Yala.

The Ministry of Public Health’s move is part of the activities organized globally to observe World’s Malaria Day which falls on April 25.

-- NNT 2015-04-26

[Strangebrew]

In 2024 we will hear same thing just it will be by 3030

[Toknarok]

I wish them luck with this, but until te Countries to our West and South East introduce similar measures I fear it wii be in vain. There have been several people admitted to our local hospital over the past year with malaria.

[NickJ]

Dengue? Rabies? Road deaths? Kid drownins? Why not just Crackdown on them as well..........

[Godders]

Hate to say it, but the Thai penchant for importing cheap, immigrant labour from the likes of Lao, Cambodia and Myanmar isn't exactly going to help stamp out malaria, which is becoming increasingly resistant to available prophylactics.

[godden]

Pipe dreams like most things here.

[Local Drunk]

I suppose that the mosquitoes will have a say in this in this matter... Why, why, why... do they post always post a goal that they can't possibly achieve. They can kill all the mosquitoes they want in Thailand, but they can't kill all the mosquitoes in Laos, Cambodia or Myanmar. They can't. It's not possible. Moreover; the mosquitoes will develop an immunity to any methods used making their methods pointless.

[chooka]

Wasn't there another story yesterday about the threat of malaria rising in the south?

[geriatrickid]

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Dengue? Rabies? Road deaths? Kid drownins? Why not just Crackdown on them as well..........

Hate to say it, but the Thai penchant for importing cheap, immigrant labour from the likes of Lao, Cambodia and Myanmar isn't exactly going to help stamp out malaria, which is becoming increasingly resistant to available prophylactics.

The incidence of dengue will be reduced as malaria infections are prevented. The mosquito is the vector in the transmission of both diseases. In respect to rabies, while a very preventable illness, it is not significant in Thailand and from a cost benefit perspective, not as much a priority as other diseases like malaria, HIV and TB. Road crash fatalities and injuries while serious do not come under the authority of the MoH.

In respect to the comments about foreigners and their threat as reservoirs of disease, it is an unfounded concern. There are two hosts for malaria: Humans and mosquitos. The control of the primary vector, the key form of transmission, is the mosquito. Human reservoirs are of greater concern for Hepatitis, HIV, cholera, and TB than they are for malaria.

Two important issues that are overlooked in the Thai strategy are: Maintaining biodiversity which is the most effective means of mosquito control, i.e. birds, fish and reptiles are more effective at long term control of insects than all of the pesticides that can be used. If the local forests, and breeding/feeding habitats for natural controls are impaired or otherwise destroyed, we descend into the futile reliance upon pesticides.

The other big issue is that of funding. Much of Thailand's funding for malaria research and big projects is foreign derived. The USA, Japan and WHO to a lesser extent) have provided the funding for the large eradication and control projects. As Thailand moves closer to China and Russia, the question I ask is if these countries will provide the funding for the projects, or does Thailand still expect to benefit from the aforementioned countries' generosity while it pisses on their leg(s)?