Hope in the Delta: How Pantanaw Ended the Outbreak

By the banks of murky waterways, field staff conducted meticulous larval surveys, uncovering the hidden breeding grounds fuelling the malaria resurgence. Photo credit - WHO Myanmar/U Abraham

Pantanaw Township lies in Myanmar's Ayeyarwady Delta. It was a peaceful place where the inhabitants survived on agriculture and fishing. Far from the plague it once was, malaria was considered a relic of the past, thanks to sustained efforts towards elimination. But a new threat turned up in early 2025.

Recent early and intense rains led to flooding on a big scale, and following them, millions of water pools stagnated—perfect breeding sites for mosquitoes. Within weeks, villages reported a sudden explosion in cases of fever, each with associated violent chills and weakness. Local health workers, assuming the cases were due to seasonally recurrent diseases, were quickly brought up short. Before malaria's recurrence was rigorously proven through formal testing, the epidemic had already gained hold, spreading rapidly throughout the township.

"We were terrified when the fever struck our village," said U Aung, a local farmer. "But the health workers gave us hope."

With cases numbering well over 533, the alarm was raised in the National Malaria Control Program (NMCP). Escalation became the specter casting its shadow on the region as Pantanaw was the focus of an imminent regional health crisis. Embracing the urgency, the World Health Organization (WHO) urgently sent in technical capability and material support to shore up NMCP's response capacity.

Dr Kaung Si Thu Lwin, WHO Field Project Coordinator, was among the first to arrive. With NMCP’s Program Manager, Dr Nwe Ni Lin, he helped coordinate a multi-component intervention. Every day was an emergency, and every delay could be lethal.

Dr Kaung Si Thu Lwin, WHO Field Project Coordinator, and local health workers engage with villagers during door-to-door malaria testing, raising community awareness about the disease.
Photo credit - WHO Myanmar/Dr Kaung Si Thu Lwin

Health workers, equipped with rapid diagnostic tests (RDTs) and microscopy, carried out door-to-door testing of suspected cases across the villages, facilitating early diagnosis and timely treatment.

Advanced Geographic Information System (GIS) mapping played a crucial role in the response, allowing teams to visualize infection hotspots and direct interventions at the most impacted villages. Meanwhile, essential medical supplies—notably, lifesaving antimalaria drugs such as Chloroquine, Primaquine, and ACT—were rapidly delivered to ensure that not a single patient was left untreated.

A WHO entomologist was sent from Yangon to Pantanaw to study mosquito breeding. He found large numbers of malaria-carrying mosquitoes in betel farms and water containers, and early signs they were becoming resistant to insecticides. His findings helped guide targeted indoor spraying and the distribution of over 15,000 insecticide-treated bed nets to protect families.

But healing the infected was only half the battle. Betel farms, where irrigation had been conducted through water-filled grooves, had created ideal breeding grounds for mosquitoes. NMCP and WHO worked with farmers to implement sustainable water management practices. Training was conducted, instructing farmers to drain water without interfering with their livelihood.

Community awareness campaigns including health education and distribution of IEC materials were launched through mobile phone, SMS messages, and community health care workers in the affected area. Health messages on malaria symptoms, early treatment, and prevention reached every corner of the township.

For six weeks, it was a matter of racing against time. Health workers, local leaders, and villagers united in an act of resilience and solidarity. New malaria cases dropped by 100%. There were no deaths—a victory for speed and coordination among health authorities.

Pantanaw's outbreak was a bitter reminder that malaria is never far from our doorstep, particularly in regions vulnerable to climate-driven changes. But it also highlighted how science, early action, and local leadership can turn the tide.

Pantanaw’s story is one of resilience, determination, and the unbreakable will of health workers. It is a glimmer of hope in the fight against malaria—a guarantee that with vigilance and persistence, malaria can be eliminated in Myanmar.