My name is Lasse Vestergaard and I am a Danish medical doctor and epidemiologist, specialized in the control of malaria, other vector-borne and parasitic diseases. I have for the past two years been with the WHO in Manila, working closely with the national malaria control program and its partners for the control and elimination of malaria in the Philippines.
Previously, malaria was a serious problem in the country, causing many thousands of cases and deaths every year. But this scenario has completely changed in recent years, where malaria has been reduced dramatically. Thus from 2005 until now we have seen a more than 80% reduction in malaria cases and more than 90% reduction in deaths. More and more provinces are declared malaria free or have reached near-zero cases, and we now talk realistically about eliminating malaria completely from the country.
This tremendous success in malaria control is really due to lots of hard work and concerted efforts from everyone involved on the ground, building on strong political commitment in the Philippines to defeat malaria and thanks to the generous financial support received from external donors such as the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, TB and Malaria and the Government of Australia.
What is encouraging is to see just how much can really be achieved against malaria if we work together and deliver an effective response, applying all the effective tools we have at our hands, such as long-lasting insecticidal mosquito nets and house spraying, and ensuring access for all to quality diagnostics and effective treatment. Equally important is the involvement of local communities, to be supported and engaged in taking charge of preventing malaria in their own setting. And improving local health services to address malaria together with many other health problems affecting remote and poor communities in the Philippines.
WHO plays a key role in supporting and working closely with the national malaria control program and all its partners. Our team work has really paid off, and it’s a great privilege to be part of this effort to make malaria history in the Philippines.