Expert Points out Challenges in Containing Malaria in Vietnam

Director of the National Institute of Malaria, Parasitology, and Entomology Dr. Hoang Dinh Canh has pointed out some challenges in containing malaria in Vietnam, aiming to eliminate the disease in the country by 2030, in his recent interview with Vietnam News Agency on World Malaria Day (April 25).

Epidemiologically, malaria is a complex and unpredictable disease, Dr. Canh rated, adding that despite the gradual progress made by many countries towards malaria elimination, complete eradication remains elusive. In some cases, outbreaks have resurged and intensified, as seen in Thailand where thousands of cases are reported annually.

The malaria parasite can also persist in a dormant form and has developed drug resistance, he added, noting that Vietnam has experienced complex drug-resistant malaria outbreaks, notably in southern Binh Phuoc province.

Currently, malaria remains prevalent in remote and ethnic minority areas where residents lack adequate knowledge and awareness of disease prevention in Vietnam, he said.

As the malaria situation improves, foreign aid, domestic investment, and human resources for malaria control have dwindled, he believed, adding that the healthcare workforce at the district and commune levels is understaffed, leading to reduced surveillance and warning systems. Consequently, the risk of malaria resurgence in previously affected provinces is high.

By 2023, 46 provinces and cities in Vietnam had been recognized as malaria-free.

Over the past three years, Vietnam continued to report 450 malaria cases annually. In 2023, the country recorded 448 malaria cases, with half of them being imported cases.

(Tin Tuc, Vietnam Plus, VOV, Tin Tuc 1)