THE good news is that government authorities, through the Department of Health (DOH) and other offices and agencies aim for a malaria-free Philippines by 2030.

Reports said that at present, all the nation’s provinces have achieved malaria-free status except for Palawan, where there’s a clustering of malaria cases in one village.

The health department reported on July 15, Saturday, that there was a clustering of malaria cases in Barangay Irawan, Puerto Princesa, Palawan from April 26 to June 30.

According to the report, a total of 31 malaria cases were logged, with their ages ranging from less than one month to 50 years.

Mostly female, those afflicted with the life-threatening disease exhibited common signs and symptoms of headache, chills, dizziness, fever and epigastic pain.

Authorities said that malaria, which is preventable and curable, is caused by a parasite and spread to humans through the bite of an infected female Anopheles mosquito.

Malaria remains endemic in 65 of the country’s 79 provinces. It is mostly found in tropical countries, like the Philippines which is seen to be malaria free by 2030.

The expected eradication of malaria in the country only shows that the government is capable of wiping out other diseases that threaten to torpedo efforts to ensure the health, safety and welfare of the mushrooming population.

But in the view of many, the more important question now is what the public, including the ordinary citizens, will do to help the government in stamping out these diseases.

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