The health sector aims to keep the rate of people with malaria below 0.15 per thousand and the rate of mortality related to the disease below 0.02 per thousand in the 2016-2020 period, according to the Department of Preventive Medicine.

The sector will also promote communication work in preventing and then eliminating malaria from localities across the nation in the period.

Medical worker instructing residents to prevent mosquitoes from transfering malaria and dengue

A comprehensive preventive network will be deployed at all levels while monitoring and supervising work will be enhanced to curb mosquitoes transferring malaria and dengue.

The sector will actively mobilise different resources and involve communities in preventing and controlling malaria.

According to Tran Thanh Duong, Director of the National Institute of Malariology, Parasitology and Entomology (NIMPE) said the number of malaria cases has plunged since 1991. Several localities now record no case of infection.

The number of malaria patients has reduced remarkably by 57.8 percent, from 45,588 in 2011 to 19,252 in 2015.

The rate of mortality due to the disease also decreased 78.6 percent, from 14 cases in 2011 to three in 2015.

Vietnam targets to completely eradicate the disease by 2030.

Source: VNA