This is the VOA SpecialEnglish Development Report.
The World Health Organization reports a malaria control programin Vietnam has reduced the number of cases by ninety percent.
The Roll Back Malaria study wascarried out over five years in Vietnam’s southern Phan Tien village.Officials say several methods were used to prevent and control thedeadly disease.
Mosquito insects spread malaria.The disease can cause fever, head pain, stomach sickness anduncontrollable shaking. The most deadly form of malaria often causesa severe lack of iron in the blood. This is the most common reasonfor death from the disease.
All villagers in the study were given special material, or nets,to cover their beds while they slept. These bednets were treatedwith chemicals to kill mosquitoes. Research shows that children whosleep under such bednets are fifty percent less likely to getmalaria.
In addition, a community-based healthcare system was set up toprovide early identification and quick treatment of malaria. Tencommunity members were also appointed as health co-workers. Eachyear, they carried out malaria studies at the end of the rainyseason. The community health workers also taught the villagers howto avoid malaria infection or seek treatment. At the end of thefive-year program, the number of villagers with malaria infection intheir blood dropped from forty-two percent to four percent.
Kamini Mendis is the top advisor in the W-H-O Roll Back Malariaprogram. Doctor Mendis says community involvement is necessary toguarantee success. This is especially true in farming areas wherethere are few health services.
Doctor Mendis says other villages in Vietnam are now carrying outthe Roll Back Malaria program. The W-H-O also believes the programcan be used successfully in Africa and other malaria-infected partsof the world. Up to two-million people around the world die eachyear of malaria. Most victims are young children living in Africasouth of the Sahara Desert.
Since the development of chemically-treated bednets in thenineteen-eighties, no new method of controlling malaria has beendiscovered. Bednets reduce malaria infection, but they cannotprevent or control the disease on their own. So the W-H-O saysidentification and treatment are also important.
This VOA Special English Development Report was written by JillMoss.