World Malaria Day: Foreign returnees more susceptible to the vector-borne disease

Published On: April 25, 2024 09:14 PM NPT By: Republica | @RepublicaNepal

KATHMANDU, April 25: Today marks the World Malaria Day. The day was observed with the theme of “Accelerating the fight against malaria for a more equitable world”.

During an interaction organized by the Public Health Office, Kathmandu on Thursday, Office Chief Dr Arjun Prasad Sapkota stressed the need for preventive measures despite the reduced risk of malaria. He said that the cases of malaria have declined in the country, but warned that those returning from foreign countries are found to be susceptible to the infection which is caused by the mosquito bites.

In the fiscal year 2080-81 BS (FY 2023-24), Kathmandu District reported 17 new cases of malaria. According to Dr Sapkota, these infections are often brought in by foreign returnees, particularly those arriving from South Africa countries.

The government has implemented the Nepal Malaria Strategic Plan 2014-2025 with the goal of declaring Nepal free from malaria by 2025. Accordingly, the government has set the objective of decreasing the number of malaria patients and the local transmission rate of this disease to zero at the local level within 2023, 2024 and 2025.

Although the government conducted the Malaria Eradication Campaign since 1994, Nepal has not become free of this disease so far.

Public Health Officer at the Public Health Office, Prabina Karmacharya said none of the wards of Kathmandu except Chandragiri Municipality's Ward No 4 are at risk of malaria. "Chandragiri municipality -4 is listed as a risk zone as a few malaria patients have been detected in this ward. We have put 5 percent of the total population of this ward as vulnerable to the vector-borne disease," she added.

According to her, 13 malaria cases were found in Kathmandu in the Fiscal Year 2021/2022 and 17 cases each in FY 2022/2023 and FY 2023/24.

Similarly, 13 cases were detected in Koshi Province, 75 in Madhes Province, 42 in Bagmati Province, 20 in Gandaki Province, 233 in Lumbini Province, 28 in Karnali Province and 176 in Sudur Paschim Province in FY 2023/24.

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