According to the statistics of malaria situation in the first two months of 2011, in Binh Dinh province, the number of malaria cases increased by 20%, of cases infected with malaria parasites raised by 32.26% against the same period of last year. Binh Dinh had had no severe and complicated malaria for many years, but in the first two months of this year, one malignant malaria case was detected in Tuy Phuoc district. The patient got infected with malaria when working away from home, but didn't go to medical facility for early treatment, just came to the district general hospital after 5 days of being seriously ill and was cured timely.
As compared with the corresponding period of last year, the malaria patients dicreased by 25% in Tay Son District and 11.11% in Phu My District, increased by 250% in Van Canh district, 60% in An Lao District, 33.33% in An Nhon district, 25% in Hoai An district, and 16.67% in Hoai Nhon and Phu Cat districts; Quy Nhon City and Tuy Phuoc district had no change in malaria morbidity rate.
The increase of malaria cases in the first months of the year is due to a large number of mobilised populations moving into malaria-endemic zones to look for work and returning home for family reunion in the lunar new year.These subjects are likely to carry the germs of malaria and at high risk of malaria infection. If they arenot be detected early and treated promptly, it can be dangerous for their health and life.
In order to take the initiative in preventing malaria epidemic and reducing the morbidity and risk of death from malaria, on 22 March 2011, the Provincial Center of Malariology and Endocrinology of Binh Dinh sent medical facilities and district medical centers the Dispatch No. 83/SRNT-KH on strengthening malaria control activities, stabilizing the increased situation of malaria in the first months of the year and preventing the risk of malaria mortality. The contents of implementing activities are as follows:
- The medical facilities strengthen the detection, diagnosis and treatment of malaria: manage and take blood smears for malaria parasite detection to mobile groups who come back from, people living in malaria-endemic areas, having fever and coming to health facilities for medical examination and treatment, thereby detect and treat malaria patients promptly.
- To attach special importance to the diagnosis and treatment of malaria and the proper use of antimalarial drug in accordance with the MoH's regimen issued in 2009. The communal health stations implement the early detection and initial treatment of malignant malaria cases, then instantly transfer to higher levels, not keep patients at communal level.
- To pay attention to the emergency resuscitation and treatment for malignant malaria at health facilities of district and provincial level.
- To check the number of antimalarial drugs as prescribed at levels of health services; if it isn't enough, the health facilities should assign their staff to get supplementary drugs at the Provincial Center of Malariology and Endocrinology; not use out-of-date antimalarial drugs.
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Malaria habitat in Hoai An district, Binh Dinh province. |
- To direct medical stations of hamlets and communes to strengthen epidemiological surveillance in localities such as severely-hit villages of malaria, hamlets or villages with more forest goer return.
- To manage the subjects who just come back from malaria-endemic areas; to take blood-smears for examining malaria parasites, early detecting malaria.
- To propagandize the measures against malaria, provide antimalarial drugs for stand-by treatment and give instructions for use to the objects working in malaria-endemic areas for a long time.
- To effectively carry out the report, prediction and prevention of malaria epidemic at grassroots level; ensure that the information of epidemic situation at localties is implemented quickly, timely and accurately.
- To advise local authorities on strengthening the health communication and education in coordination with other sectors in various ways to improve the people's consciousness of self-protection.