Health agencies launch campaign vs malaria

HEALTH agencies, in cooperation with the Zamboanga City Health Office, will launch on Wednesday a new advocacy campaign for malaria.

The campaign, dubbed as “Travelling Long-Lasting Insecticidal Net (LLIN)” or the “Biyaheng Kulambo,” is an upgraded anti-malaria strategy shifting focus from malaria control to elimination by 2020.

It has a theme “Saving Lives, Preventing Deaths, and Sustaining Investments for Malaria” and is a joint undertaking of the Department of Health (DOH), World Health Organization (WHO) and the Global Fund Malaria through Pilipinas Shell Foundation Inc (PSFI).

A simple launching program for Biyaheng Kulambo is set to be held at the City Hall around 9:30 a.m. Wednesday. The program will be highlighted by the presentation of the manifesto of support by DOH Regional Director Dr. Teogenes Baluma to Mayor Celso Lobregat.

The signing of the manifesto and ceremonial pinning of the City Seal will follow.

Under the campaign, the symbolic LLIN shall travel through all provinces and cities of the country starting from malaria-endemic areas, launched during the Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR) Malaria Summit last April 25 until it reaches the malaria-free provinces and cities, ultimately covering all provinces of the country as part of the malaria awareness month culmination by the end of November 2012.

The Pilipinas Shell Foundation Inc. reported that the 2010 and 2011 annual malaria registry shows that the country has reduced the level of incidence of malaria to a point where the disease can be seriously considered a top priority for elimination by the year 2020-2025.

The medium-term development plan 2011-2016 for Malaria Control Program has upgraded the key strategies and interventions employed in fighting the disease.

The medium-term development plan 2011-2016 is the basis for the launching of the LLIN or Biyaheng Kulambo in all parts of the country and in Zamboanga City today, Wednesday. (Bong Garcia)