UNB, Dhaka :
Though the government had a plan to see Malaria-free Bangladesh by 2020, it is going to ‘revise’ its plan considering the ground reality and current perspective.
Despite ‘significant progress’ in controlling malaria in the country, still high risk remains in the areas adjacent to borders as mobility is there through Bangladesh-India-Myanmar border areas. Earlier, the National Malaria Control Programme, Bangladesh drafted the ‘National Strategic Plan 2015-2020’ aiming at achieving the goal of malaria elimination-zero case and zero death-by 2020 in the country. But the World Health Organization (WHO) has adopted new strategy ‘Global Technical Strategy for Malaria 2016-2030’ with its bold vision of a world free of malaria, and its targets to reduce malaria incidence and mortality rates globally by at least 90 percent by 2030.
“We’ve a target to make Bangladesh malaria-free by 2020. But we’ll now revise it in line with the global strategy and taking ground reality into consideration,” Dr Muktadir Kabir told UNB on Friday. Kabir, also Head of Programme, Malaria and Wash, Brac, said the work is on to set a ‘realistic’ target and incorporating it in the National Strategic Plan. As the cross-border malaria transmission has turned out to be a new challenge, the expert said they are trying to go for border-focused programme to overcome the challenge in eradicating the mosquito-borne disease. “It’s now a big issue.
The intensity of the programme may not be equal on both sides of border,” Dr Kabir said adding that he does not think the initiatives taken so far in addressing malaria in the bordering areas are adequate enough. He said they do not even have required manpower for that and are trying to adjust with limited workforces. “We don’t have additional resource. We’re readjusting with the resource we have.” The expert said they want to see the continuation of ‘political commitment’ and the partnership between the public and private sector as Bangladesh is going through a phase of controlling malaria.
He also said, the initiatives centering Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT) should not be stopped and resources flow should continue to make the success, so far achieved, sustainable. “In some cases, we see focus and resources are shifted to other areas once a bit success comes in a particular area,” Dr Kabir said mentioning that it should not be there in case controlling malaria. If it happens, he said, malaria may stage a comeback in these hilly areas. According to available data, some 1, 32,50000 people in Bangladesh at malaria risk now, with the three hill districts being at the highest risk. Some 85,000 patients were identified with malaria in 2008 but the number fell to nearly 40,000 in 2015. The number of deaths dropped to nine from 154, according to the government’s malaria control programme.
Though the government had a plan to see Malaria-free Bangladesh by 2020, it is going to ‘revise’ its plan considering the ground reality and current perspective.
Despite ‘significant progress’ in controlling malaria in the country, still high risk remains in the areas adjacent to borders as mobility is there through Bangladesh-India-Myanmar border areas. Earlier, the National Malaria Control Programme, Bangladesh drafted the ‘National Strategic Plan 2015-2020’ aiming at achieving the goal of malaria elimination-zero case and zero death-by 2020 in the country. But the World Health Organization (WHO) has adopted new strategy ‘Global Technical Strategy for Malaria 2016-2030’ with its bold vision of a world free of malaria, and its targets to reduce malaria incidence and mortality rates globally by at least 90 percent by 2030.
“We’ve a target to make Bangladesh malaria-free by 2020. But we’ll now revise it in line with the global strategy and taking ground reality into consideration,” Dr Muktadir Kabir told UNB on Friday. Kabir, also Head of Programme, Malaria and Wash, Brac, said the work is on to set a ‘realistic’ target and incorporating it in the National Strategic Plan. As the cross-border malaria transmission has turned out to be a new challenge, the expert said they are trying to go for border-focused programme to overcome the challenge in eradicating the mosquito-borne disease. “It’s now a big issue.
The intensity of the programme may not be equal on both sides of border,” Dr Kabir said adding that he does not think the initiatives taken so far in addressing malaria in the bordering areas are adequate enough. He said they do not even have required manpower for that and are trying to adjust with limited workforces. “We don’t have additional resource. We’re readjusting with the resource we have.” The expert said they want to see the continuation of ‘political commitment’ and the partnership between the public and private sector as Bangladesh is going through a phase of controlling malaria.
He also said, the initiatives centering Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT) should not be stopped and resources flow should continue to make the success, so far achieved, sustainable. “In some cases, we see focus and resources are shifted to other areas once a bit success comes in a particular area,” Dr Kabir said mentioning that it should not be there in case controlling malaria. If it happens, he said, malaria may stage a comeback in these hilly areas. According to available data, some 1, 32,50000 people in Bangladesh at malaria risk now, with the three hill districts being at the highest risk. Some 85,000 patients were identified with malaria in 2008 but the number fell to nearly 40,000 in 2015. The number of deaths dropped to nine from 154, according to the government’s malaria control programme.
