ILOILO City – Marking this year’s World Malaria Day on April 25, the Department of Health (DOH) is seeking to reach its target of zero malaria cases in Western Visayas.
The region isn’t totally free from malaria yet, according to Maria Lourdes Monegro, DOH Region 6’s malaria program coordinator.
Of Western Visayas’ six provinces, one still has to achieve malaria-free status – Negros Occidental, said Monegro.
The five others free from the mosquito-borne disease were Iloilo, Guimaras, Aklan, and Capiz since 1995, and Antique since 2019.
These provinces have met these criteria set by the DOH to be declared as malaria-free:
* no record of indigenous (acquired within the region) case for five consecutive years
* complied all documentary requirements
In 2015, Monegro said DOH-6 assessed the situation in Negros Occidental; it did not meet the documentary requirements.
“Ma-id-id bal-an ang process (validation),” Monegro told Panay News.
The Health department would again assess the province this April 27 to 29,
“After sang aton validation, may oral arguments kita sa central office kon makapasar na as malaria-free province,” said Monegro.
Malaria is contracted from a bite of an infective female Anopheles mosquito that breeds in rivers and lakes.
It can also be transmitted by blood transfusion, and possibly mother to child before and/or during birth.
The symptoms usually start approximately nine to 14 days after the bite of an infective mosquito. However, in some types of malaria, the symptoms may appear one to several months after the infective mosquito bite.
Based on DOH-6’s available data, the region recorded four malaria cases in 2013; three each in years 2014 and 2015; five in 2016; three in 2017; four in 2018; six in 2019; and one in 2020.
All these cases were imported “or mga cases nga nakuha sa iban nga lugar sa Pilipinas ukon gwa sang pungsod.”
Malaria symptoms include high fever, headache, chills and shivers, nausea and vomiting.
In severe form, it may include severe vomiting and diarrhea, generalized convulsion, delirium and impaired consciousness, followed by coma and possibly death.
Should one exhibit malaria symptoms, immediately seek medical attention, said Monegro.
Measures for malaria prevention include awareness of endemic areas, bite prevention through the wearing of long-sleeved clothes and using of insect repellants and mosquito nets (preferably insecticide-treated), and prophylactic treatment when travelling to endemic areas.
Monegro added that the DOH-6 would launch a Malaria Online Information System in order for RHUs to report if cases of malaria are detected in their areas.
Earlier, the DOH said by 2022 it aims to reduce malaria incidence rate in the Philippines by 90 percent. The country also targets to be declared malaria-free by 2030./PN
