Cambodia has made real progress in decreasing cases of malaria—already surpassing the Millennium Development Goal for malaria four years ahead of the 2015 target—but certain communities still face major challenges in combating the disease, officials said on World Malaria Day.
Although cases of malaria nationwide decrease by 20 percent during the first three months of 2012—with 19,049 cases recorded compared to 23,730 in the same period last year—Battambang and Pailin provinces had seen a 60 percent increase in infections, said Char Meng Chuor, director of the Ministry of Health’s National Center of Malaria Control.
“When you look at the trend, malaria in the whole country decreased 20 percent in the first three months of this year,” said Mr. Meng Chuor. “But Battambang and Pailin increased 60 percent because of mobile migrants,” he said, explaining that when people from malaria-free zones migrate to work in other areas, they do not know how to adequately protect themselves from the diseas. [Read full article…]
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