The Department of Health (DOH) is currently evaluating eight local government units all over the country for possible declaration as malaria-free provinces, one of which is Negros Oriental.
Dr. Raffy Deray, medical officer IV of DOH Manila disclosed that 42 provinces have been declared as malaria-free through a certificate issued by the DOH secretary.
Initial evaluation showed Negros Oriental has qualified in the first requirement which is the absence of indigenous malaria cases in the past five years.
It is validating the self-assessment results submitted by the province and municipalities whether they satisfy the criteria of DOH for it to be declared as malaria-free.
Such documents have been reviewed by another team headed by Dr. Ronald Buscato from the regional health office, before recommending the same to the national evaluation.
Dr. Deray pointed out that a province may still be declared as malaria —free even if there are malaria cases reported, provided they are not indigenous but imported, or acquired outside the area.
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According to the technical working group, the process is so tedious because they have to look at the travel history of a patient, including symptoms whether it can be classified as indigenous or imported.
Assistant Provincial Health Officer Dr. Liland Estacion, in charge of the communicable diseases unit of the Integrated Provincial Health Office, disclosed that cases of malaria in Negros Oriental was first recorded in 1998, both indigenous and imported.
Of 99 malaria cases, 72 are imported and 27 are indigenous. Twenty six of 27 indigenous cases come from the municipality of Sta. Catalina.
Imported cases of malaria were acquired by Negrenses who have been to Butuan, Palawan, Tawi-tawi, Quezon province, Surigao, Sulu and Zamboanga, according to datas gathered by the TWG; as well as from Papua New Guinea, Africa, Indonesia, Nigeria, and Sudan.
Dr. Estacion said the last reported indigenous malaria cases in Negros Oriental was in 2011, while the last reported imported malaria cases was in 2016.
The DOH said they are looking into the capacity of a province to sustain and maintain a declaration of being malaria-free, to include the staffing pattern of workers, among others.
Negros Oriental was declared as filiarasis-free since 2004.
Filariasis is a parasitic disease caused by an infection with roundworms. These are spread by blood-feeding diptera as black flies and mosquitoes. (Juancho Gallarde)
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