ILOILO City – Western Visayas could be declared a malaria-free region next year. Four of its six provinces – Guimaras, Aklan, Iloilo, and Capiz – have already been declared malaria-free, according to Department of Health (DOH) Region 6 entomologist Maria Lourdes Monegro, the regional malaria program coordinator.
The two other provinces –Antique and Negros – are still under evaluation. They could be declared malaria-free next year.
Malaria is a life-threatening disease caused by parasites that are transmitted to people through the bites of infected female Anopheles mosquitoes.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), malaria is preventable and curable but Monegro said, “Kon indi mabulong, it could result to severe malaria and eventually to death.”
November is the Malaria Awareness Month in the Philippines.
“For a province to be declared malaria-free, it should not have indigenous cases or no local transmission of malaria for the past five years,” said Monegro.
In a non-immune individual, symptoms usually appear between 10 to 15 days after the infective mosquito bite. The first symptoms – fever, headache, and chills – may be mild and difficult to recognize as malaria.
If not treated within 24 hours, malaria can progress to severe illness, often leading to death.
A technical working group from the DOH central office, with representatives from the World Health Organization (WHO), assesses an area and determines its malaria status.
“Western Visayas has no recorded indigenous cases of malaria for a very long time now,” said Monegro.
The region has “imported cases” but minimal, she said.
“They are those nga halin sa mga malaria endemic countries and provinces in the Philippines like Palawan and Mindoro nga nagakadto diri sa Western Visayas nga nag-manifest sang malaria,” explained Monegro.
Children with severe malaria frequently develop one or more of the following symptoms: severe anemia, respiratory distress in relation to metabolic acidosis, or cerebral malaria.
In adults, multi-organ involvement is also frequent.
Antique recorded its last indigenous case of malaria in 2011 yet, and specifically from Semirara Island in Caluya town, said Monegro.
From 23 cases there in 2009, the number eventually dropped to two cases.
Negros Occidental, on the other hand, had its last two indigenous malaria cases in the 1990s yet, said Monegro.
In 2017, there were an estimated 219 million cases of malaria in 90 countries, according to WHO. Malaria deaths reached 435 000 in 2017.
The WHO African Region carries a disproportionately high share of the global malaria burden. In 2017, the region was home to 92 percent of malaria cases and 93 percent of malaria deaths.
Monegro said the DOH in Region 6 has been strengthening its information education campaign about malaria.
“Yearly ang aton campaign updates about the program. Naga-conduct kami vector mapping in the different municipalities para mabal-an kun my mga vector kita sang malaria,” said Monegro.
According to WHO, there are more than 400 different species of Anopheles mosquito; around 30 are malaria vectors of major importance. All of the important vector species bite between dusk and dawn.
Early diagnosis and treatment of malaria reduces disease and prevents deaths. It also contributes to reducing malaria transmission. The best available treatment is artemisinin-based combination therapy (ACT).
WHO recommends that all cases of suspected malaria be confirmed using parasite-based diagnostic testing (either microscopy or rapid diagnostic test) before administering treatment./PN
