WHO, DOH launch campaign vs malaria

The World Health Organization (WHO) and the Department of Health (DOH) yesterday launched an offensive against malaria, which threatens the health of 11 million Filipinos living in remote areas of the country.

At the same time, the WHO warned that drug use and prostitution are driving the HIV/AIDS epidemic across Asia and the Pacific, including in China, where the virus has spread to all 31 provinces and regions despite efforts to contain it.

In a press briefing at the DOH head office, Dr. Raman Velayudhan — a WHO expert on malaria as well as vector-borne and parasitic diseases — said they intend to strengthen anti-malaria programs in the Philippines as part of global efforts to eliminate malaria.

Velayudhan said they hope to reduce malaria cases in the Philippines by 53 percent by 2010, and declare the country malaria-free by 2020.

Under the campaign dubbed "Rollback Malaria," the WHO and DOH aim to strengthen health education, surveillance and treatment and control operations in areas endemic with malaria.

The name of the program came about because the number of malaria cases increased in 2002 and 2003 after declining from 89,047 cases in 1990 to 34,787 in 2001.

There are also efforts by health officials to deliver malaria control and prevention programs to displaced or "nomadic" people and in areas that have been underserved due to peace and order problems.

Velayudhan said they are hopeful that they would meet the target, given the resources that have been poured into the campaign.

The Australian government, through the Australian Agency for International Development, has given a $2.2-million grant for the anti-malaria campaign. AusAID gave $646,776 for 2004 to 2005; $870,100 for 2005 to 2006; and $674,610 for 2006 to 2007.

Dr. Mario Baquilod, division chief of the DOH’s National Center for Disease Prevention and Control, said reducing the malaria burden would be a big boost to the socio-economic development of areas in which this disease is endemic.

He said Mindanao accounts for 53 percent of the malaria cases from 1991 to 2000 while Luzon and the Visayas accounted for 46 percent and one percent, respectively.

Baquilod added that among the malaria-free provinces are Cebu, Bohol, Catanduanes, Aklan, Capiz, Guimaras, Siquijor, Biliran, Iloilo, Northern Leyte, Southern Leyte, Northern Samar and Camiguin.

‘Act boldly, urgently’

WHO regional director Shigeru Omi, in a statement marking World AIDS Day on Thursday, called on member states, which includes the Philippines, to "act boldly and urgently" to change the course of the epidemic.

Despite measures to prevent the HIV virus from spreading, five million people worldwide were needlessly infected last year, adding to the 40 million already living with the virus, the WHO said.

In the Western Pacific, 1.5 million people live with HIV/AIDS, and nearly all countries in the region have epidemics focusing on people with high-risk behavior.

In the Philippines, an official of the Philippine National AIDS Council earlier warned that the country is on the brink of an "explosion" of HIV/AIDS cases.

Dr. Roderick Poblete said that the latest count of 2,354 HIV cases and 702 AIDS cases was just the "tip of the iceberg."

"The use of condoms has been largely disregarded and our studies show that 60 percent of our population believe they cannot contract HIV, while another 23 percent falsely believe that a cure for HIV and AIDS has already been discovered," he said.

Poblete also said the increasing "sexual adventurism" of Filipino youth is one of the factors that could trigger an explosion of HIV cases. He could not immediately cite how many HIV cases remain unreported.

The virus has spread to all 31 provinces and autonomous regions in China, the world’s most populous country, the WHO said, warning that some 10 million Chinese may be infected by 2010.

Needle sharing among drug users is the main route of HIV transmission in China, Vietnam and Malaysia, the WHO said. In Malaysia alone, three-quarters of all reported infections were contracted via injecting drugs. — With AP