The deputy PM made the remark during his meeting with Jeffery Smith, APLMA Chief Operating Officer for Asia-Pacific, in Hanoi on August 2.
The APLMA official emphasised that the elimination of malaria in Asia-Pacific will contribute actively to enhancing economic prosperity in the region, as millions of people will have their health protected, thus mitigating the disease burden caused by malaria, supporting socio-economic development in needy areas, and reducing hindrances and damage to the tourism, agricultural and industrial sectors.
Malaria elimination will also work to consolidate and strengthen the medical security system in all countries across the region, allowing them to focus more resources on preventing and combating new emerging diseases and other medical priorities, he said.
Based on Vietnam’s national strategy on malaria prevention and elimination and APLMA’s malaria elimination roadmap, the Ministry of Health has reviewed, evaluated and issued a roadmap for malaria elimination in Vietnam until 2025, orientating to 2030. The elimination of malaria is implemented on both district and provincial levels. If all goes to plan, by 2020, 28 provinces and cities will have successfully eliminated malaria, and the number of localities is targeted to reach 55 by 2025 and then finally the whole country by 2030. At the same time, the ministry has issued an action plan on preventing, combating and eliminating malaria for each five-year period, to serve as a basis for nationwide implementation.
As of 2018, Vietnam recorded 6,870 cases of malaria, down 18.3% compared to 2017 and down 80.6% compared to 2013, and down 88.7% against 2009.
The Government has included the content of malaria prevention and elimination in the target health programme for 2016-2020, with a funding of VND43.85 billion (US$1.88 million) granted to 2018 and VND37.26 billion for 2019.
