6. MALARIA SITUATION IN THE CENTRAL HIGHLANDS CENTRAL HIGHLANDS IS A...

1.6. Malaria situation in the Central Highlands Central Highlands is a focal point of malaria in Vietnam, including 15 provinces with a population of about 20 million people, over 40 ethnic groups, of which nearly 50% of the populations live in malaria endemic areas. After many years of malaria control, malaria in the Central Highlands has significantly decreased, but the risk of malaria coming back is still of great concern. The malaria control program is facing with obstacles and challenges such as poverty, low-education, shifting cultivation, field hut sleeping, people mobility, etc. The movement of people from the plain to the mountain, from the North to the Central Highlands is still too high. In addition, they do not have effective measures for malaria control [2], [7]. In highly malaria-endemic and remote areas, the communal health system is weak and not well equipped. According to the Ministry of Health's 2010 report, there were 4,481 malaria cases and one death in Vietnam. Malaria in the Central Highlands increased by 30.5% and in the South increased by 24.83%. According to the report of Quy Nhon Institute of Malariology, Parasitology, and Entomology, the number of malaria patients in the Central Highlands in 11 months of 2013 decreased by 10.52% compared to the same period in 2012; malaria parasites decreased by 6.10%; severe cases decreased by 46.91%; and deaths of malaria reduced 4 cases [15]. CHAPTER 2 STUDY SUBJECTS AND METHODS