ILOILO City – The province of Antique aims to obtain a “malaria-free” status after 11 years of not having any case of the mosquito-borne disease.
Maria Lourdes Monegro, Entomologist II of the Department of Health Center for Health Development in Western Visayas, said the program officers and consultants from their funding partner, Global Fund, will arrive in Antique for the conduct of validation this April.
“One of the criteria is that they should have no indigenous cases for the past five years,” Monegro cited.
The last indigenous case of malaria in the province was monitored way back in 2008, she said.
In Western Visayas, only two provinces have yet to be declared as malaria-free – Antique and Negros Occidental.
Of the two remaining provinces, only Antique has signified its intent to be declared as free from malaria.
The validation is just in time for the observance of the World Malaria Day on April 25 with a theme, “Zero Malaria Starts With Me.” (With a report from PNA/PN)
