Population mobility and malaria

Migration within and across the Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS) is a long-standing and common practice and is expected to increase as the region continues to develop, especially following the commencement of the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) in 2015 (WHO SEARO, 2016). Well managed migration can contribute to achieving eventual malaria elimination in the GMS. Enough evidence suggests that malaria may not be a forest-dependent disease, but may be influenced by population movements (Jitthai, 2013:1). While migration alone is not itself a risk factor for increased malaria transmissions, several factors may make migrants and the local populations vulnerable to malaria. This includes ‘push and pull’ factors that encourage people to enter into and out of malaria-endemic areas, such as infrastructure and rural development, deforestation for logging and economic farming, political movements and natural disasters. 

The Region shows a primary clear pattern of migration characterized by population movements from Myanmar, Cambodia and Lao People’s Democratic Republic to Thailand. Thus, Thailand is by far the main receiving country in the GMS hosting more than 3 million migrants (UNDESA, 2013).  Also, secondary migration flows occur, including population movements from Myanmar, Lao People’s Democratic Republic and Viet Nam to the border provinces of China PRC or cross-border mobility between Cambodia and Viet Nam. Malaria is endemic in five of the six GMS countries – Cambodia, Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Myanmar, Thailand and Viet Nam – with specific high-prevalence areas in the Myanmar-Thai border and in some provinces of Cambodia.