Although Bhutan has been able to achieve major reductions of Malaria incidences and death but it has failed to achieve zero indigenous malaria cases. From over 2,670 cases in 2004, it has dropped to 54 cases in 2018.
Of the 54 malaria cases,6 were locally transmitted cases (Indigenous malaria). Bhutan now has set a new target to eliminate the disease by 2020, after it missed its 2018 target. Working towards the target, a two-day meeting on cross border malaria elimination was held in Gelegphu.
Local officials from the Indian State of Assam and six malaria endemic districts in the country attended the meeting.
“It has become important for the neighbouring countries to talk to each other, as one of the speakers said malaria doesn’t need a passport to cross the border, they can fly in across the border and infect people on both sides of the border. So we need to synchronise our vector control activities, patient management activities, distribution of bed nets and also if there is malaria outbreak in one of the neighbouring country, we should immediately inform the other neighbouring country,” Dr Ugen Dophu, the Secretary of Health Ministry, said.
He added the health facilities in between border towns enjoy good collaboration at a local level but in existence of international border, it requires approval from both governments to go-ahead for such collaboration. And if such initiative is put in place by higher level, it will be easier for the officials at the local level to function.
The meeting saw discussions on how to improve information sharing mechanism on malaria prevention and control, and harmonisation and synchronisation of malaria control activities along the border.
The officials also discussed strengthening, planning and implementation of joint operational research on malaria. The meeting is expected to benefit both countries’ target to eliminate malaria. The meeting was organised with fund support from Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria (GFATM).
Elimination of malaria is a global agenda and all countries are said to be gearing to achieve malaria elimination by 2030.
Karma Wangdi
