Hanoi (VNA) – Vietnamis expected to put an end to Plasmodiumfalciparum malaria parasite by2025, towards eliminating all species of malaria by 2030 as recommended by theWorld Health Organisation (WHO).

The Institute of Malaria,Parasite and Insects reported that malaria is circulating mainly in Vietnam’s central,Central Highlands and southeastern regions.

Fewer cases have occurred innorthern localities, with most of the infections carried by migrants from thecentral and Central Highlands regions, and Vietnamese workers returning fromLaos, Cambodia, Angola, Tanzania, Sudan and Nigeria.

In 2018, Vietnam recorded 6,870cases of malaria, down 18.3 percent year-on-year. The number of patients withmalaria parasites in the year amounted to 4,813, up 5.8 percent compared with2017, with one death reported.

The country has devised a legalframework and policies on malaria prevention, while the Government has madefighting malaria a priority medical programme.

These efforts have received theenthusiastic response from citizens and social organisations, the institutesaid, noting improvements in malaria diagnosis and treatment.

However, the outcomes of the workhave remained unstable as malaria parasites have increased over the past twoyears and many localities face a high rise of malaria infections.

One of the main reasons behindthis problem lies with limited investment from the State budget, internationalorganisations and localities, the institute pointed out.

Under the strategy, the Ministryof Health aims to follow three stages – malaria control, elimination andprevention of malaria re-introduction.

Accordingly, by 2020, ninelocalities are hoped to be in malaria control, 26 in malaria elimination and 28in the last stage. By 2025, the goal is no localities being in the first stage,eight in malaria elimination and 55 in the prevention of malariare-introduction.

According to the WHO, malaria isa common and life-threatening disease in many tropical and subtropical areas.There are currently more than 100 countries and territories where there is arisk of malaria transmission, and these are visited by more than 125 millioninternational travellers every year. -VNA