Friday, August 22, 2008 Health dep't hails company for anti-malaria drive
THE Department of Health (DOH) hailed the participation of one of Southern Mindanao's biggest investors for its contribution to the reduction of the deadly malaria cases here in the region.
Australia based mining giant BHP Billiton was presented a plaque of appreciation for its role as a development partner in the Malaria Control Program in the Province of Davao Oriental.
Malaria cases in the City of Mati was reduced by as much as 83 percent since 2005 due to the joint efforts of the local government unit through the Global Fund for Malaria Control, the DOH-Southern Mindanao, the AusAid-funded Roll Back Malaria Campaign, and BHP Billiton.
"We hope that with the additional funds from the DOH and other development partners, the LGUs will not decrease their own investments in health but look at the additional funds as add-on to their local health budgets to see better and more sustained improvements in health systems development," DOH-Southern Mindanao chief Paulyn Jean Rosell-Ubial
The eradication of mosquito borne diseases is one of the priorities of the DOH 11 for this year, especially dengue and malaria. (CPM)
