The Healthy Juan: Philippines, malaria-free by 2030?
Let us be straightforward with you, malaria is a life-threatening disease.
It's typically transmitted through the bite of an infected Anopheles mosquito that carries the Plasmodium parasite.
When this infected mosquito bites you, the parasite is released into your bloodstream and can travel inside your body through the liver, where they mature and infects the red blood cells.
In the Philippines, malaria-infected mosquitos can be found in several island provinces such as Palawan and Sulu.
This image shows the areas where malaria is highly endemic / Source: FitForTravel.com
According to Dr. Maria Rosario Vergeire, MPH, CESO IV, Assistant Secretary of Health of the Department of Health, these mosquitos thrive in isolated areas surrounded by clean water.
She added, “Sila 'yung mga isolated areas na usually separated by the sea and there's the land.
“Mas mahirap natin puntahan, mas mahirap natin pigilin at i-control ang measures sa ganitong mga lugar.”
UP Manila Professor Myra Mistica added, “Compared with the dengue mosquitos na ang gusto ay artificial containers, this one ang gusto niya slow-flowing streams at malinis na tubig.
“Ayaw niya ng polluted waters kundi mamatay siya.”
The symptoms of malaria develop within 10 days to four weeks following the infection which includes the following:
- Chills
- Fever
- Sweating
- Headache
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Abdominal pain
- Diarrhea
- Anemia
- Muscle pain
- Convulsions
- Coma; and
- Bloody stools
With the advancement of technology, treating malaria is easy just as long as you observed any of the symptoms written above.
As Dr. Vergerie said, “Unang una natin dapat tandaan, when it comes to malaria ito ay naidudulot ng lamok.
“So, alam na natin kung kailan nangangagat ang lamok, alam natin kung anu-anong probinsya ang tinatawig na endemic sa malaria so kailangan nag=iingat tayo.
“Malaria is a preventable disease.
“Meron tayong mga gamot na binibigay para masugpo ang malaria, depende kung anong Plasmodium or parasite ang makikita sa katawan mo, and lahat naman ay makikita sa health facilities.”
This infographic shows how to prevent malaria disease / Source: World Health Organization
Fortunately, in the Philippines, the malaria situation has rapidly evolved over the years.
In a report made by the Department of Health in 2019, the Philippines has only four remaining provinces that remain endemic for malaria.
The goal of the executive department is to declare the country to be malaria-free by the year 2030.
Health Secretary Francisco T. Duque III said, “These four provinces are Palawan, Sulu, Occidental Mindoro, and Sultan Kudarat.
“Out of the total 81 provinces in the country, 50 are already malaria-free, 27 are under the elimination phase, and four remain to have local transmission.”
For the government to reach that goal, the DOH reminds the public to remember the key measures to preventing the parasitic disease and these are the following:
- Be aware of the endemic areas
- Wear long-sleeved clothing to prevent mosquito bites
- Use insect repellants and mosquito nets (preferably insecticide-treated); and
- Get prophylactic treatment before traveling to endemic areas