Quest to eradicate malaria not over yet
WORLD Malaria Day was commemorated yesterday with the theme “Accelerating the fight against malaria for a more equitable world”.
The theme emphasises the critical need to address the significant gaps in access to malaria prevention, detection and treatment services.
For years, the World Health Organisation (WHO) has stressed the necessity of malaria control and elimination efforts, especially in areas with high transmission rates.
Malaysia has shown exceptional commitment and persistence in the fight against malaria, leading to zero indigenous human malaria cases for six consecutive years since 2018.
As a result, Malaysia qualified for the WHO Human Malaria Elimination Certification in 2021.
This remarkable achievement highlights the dedication and hard work of healthcare professionals, policymakers and researchers, and commitment from the communities across the country towards eradicating malaria in line with the Malaria Eradication Programme, which was initiated in 1967.
It also reflects the effectiveness of targeted interventions, robust surveillance systems, and community engagement initiatives that were implemented nationwide.
However, a spike in the number of cases was reported in several parts of Malaysia last year, “Malaria makes a scary comeback” (The Star, Oct 2, 2023).
According to Dr Zaliha Mustafa, then the health minister, the country was facing a new threat in the form of rising zoonotic malaria cases.
The current infections were attributed mainly to the Plasmodium knowlesi parasite, which is transmitted by mosquitoes from monkeys to humans.
The banded leaf monkey, pigtailed macaque, stump-tailed macaque and long-tailed macaque are natural hosts for the parasite.
Past experiences have shown that community participation is crucial in achieving the malaria prevention strategies.
To ensure that Malaysia remains on track for the WHO Human Malaria Elimination Certification, efforts must be stepped up to enhance community knowledge of the preventive strategies for malaria control, particularly among people in rural areas and where the animal hosts abound.
This includes having knowledge of the causes and signs, and symptoms of malaria so that they would seek medical attention promptly.
For those who frequently visit high-risk areas, they must take preventive measures such as using insect repellents, sleeping inside mosquito nets, and getting appropriate antimalarial medication.
DR RAHMAT DAPARI Public Health Medicine specialist Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Universiti Putra Malaysia