Malaria, other vectorborne and parasitic diseases

WHO to launch counter-offensive to resistance to artemisinin

mass screening

The Regional Director, Dr Shin Young-soo, will formally launch WHO's framework for the "Emergency Response to Artemisinin Resistance in the Greater Mekong Subregion" (ERAR) at a ceremony in the InterContinental Hotel in Phnom Penh, in the presence of Her Royal Highness Princess Astrid of Belgium, Special Representative to the Roll Back Malaria Partnership, development partners, as well as government officials from the Greater Mekong Subregion countries.

World Malaria Day 2013

Over the last decade, the world has made major progress in the fight against malaria. Since 2000, malaria mortality rates have fallen by more than 25%, and 50 of the 99 countries with ongoing transmission are now on track to meet the 2015 World Health Assembly target of reducing incidence rates by more than 75%. A major scale-up of vector control interventions, together with increased access to diagnostic testing and quality-assured treatment, has been key to this progress.

Landmark collaboration measures the impact of two successful public health interventions in Wallis and Futuna

WHO/Karen Hennessey
Supervisor training for LF/HB survey in Wallis and Futuna

Wallis and Futuna conducted a successful combined survey to estimate the prevalence of lymphatic filariasis (LF) and hepatitis B (HB) in order to measure the impact of control programmes for the two diseases.

This survey included 94% of all 1014 primary school students. Children of grades 1-5 were tested for Wuchereria bancrofti antigen and children grades 4-5 were tested for hepatitis B virus surface antigen.

Control and elimination of Neglected Tropical Diseases in the Western Pacific

The sixty-third session of WHO's Regional Committee for the Western Pacific in session.

Neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) are health issues in 28 countries and areas in the Western Pacific Region, causing suffering, usually among the poor, and impeding economic development.

In consultation with Member States and partners, WHO's Regional Office for the Western Pacific developed a Regional Action Plan for Neglected Tropical Diseases in the Western Pacific (2012-2016). The plan was endorsed by the sixty-third session of WHO's Regional Committee for the Western Pacific held from 24 to 28 September 2012 in Hanoi, Viet Nam.

About malaria, other vectorborne and parasitic diseases unit

MVP unit, under the Division of Combating Communicable Diseases, contributes to the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals by reducing the burden due to vectorborne and parasitic diseases and, where feasible, eliminating them, by addressing knowledge gaps through operational research. It supports the scale up of strategies to achieve programme goals, including strengthening technical cooperation with countries.

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