The Department of Health sssured there will be no let down in the fight for the elimination of malaria in the Mimaropa region.
“We will provide all support to attain our objective of eliminating malaria by 2020 or sooner,” Health Regional Director Eduardo Janairo said.
“We will ensure that every resident of these affected municipalities will be malaria-free. We have all the studies, the data and the resources needed at we have already started implementing these strategies,” he added.
Speaking during the 9th Malaria Congress held in Puerto Princesa City in Palawan, Janairo underscored the need to boost strategies and approaches to get rid of malaria in the region.
He cited the need to sustain community intervention, such as regular cleanup drives and information dissemination activities.
He added that both public and private schools must be protected and fitted with Olyset-treated nets.
According to the 2017 provincial malaria data of Palawan, the top five municipalities with the most number of cases are Rizal with 1,294; Balabac with 686; Bataraza with 656; Brooke’s Point with 360; and Quezon with 142.
From Jan. 1 to Nov. 30, a total of 3,360 positive cases have been recorded out of the 146,256 patients tested in Palawan.
This translates to a significant decrease of 45.21 percent from the 6,132 cases reported for the same period last year.
“This figure is a great improvement in our fight against malaria, but then again these are all figures,” Janairo said.
