“Ang Bataan ay hindi pa officially declared malaria-free but it has fulfilled the requirement of five years of having zero indigenous case. Kulang na lang ang validation na gagawin sa May 29. Umaasa kami na mabibigyan kayo ng certification,” the Asec who is DOH spokesman said.
DOH will make the validation to be approved by the World Health Organization.
Tayag was in Balanga City as guest during the celebration of World Malaria Day hosted by Bataan with the theme “End Malaria for Good”.
“Nag-host ang Bataan sapagka’t ito ang maaaring mauna sa Central Luzon na madeklarang malaria-free,” he said.
He expected the other provinces in Region 3 composed of Bulacan, Pampanga, Zambales, Tarlac, Nueva Ecija and Aurora to be without malaria in 2019 – 2020.
Tayag said that 33 provinces have so far been declared malaria-free in the Philippines, noting “Marami pa ring probinsiya na may malaria pero kung ikukumpara sa ibang bansa, na sa process of elimination na tayo sa pagiging malaria- free.”
He disclosed that the target of having a malaria-free country by 2020 was moved to 2030 because there are still many cases in Palawan which accounts for 90 percent of malaria cases in the country. “Maraming masukal na gubat sa Palawan na gustong-gusto ng lamok na nagdadala ng malaria,” he said.
Tayag noted the team efforts of the provincial and municipal health workers in Bataan headed by provincial health officer Dr. Rosanna Buccahan and the cooperation extended by municipal and provincial governments led by Gov. Albert Garcia.
Distribution of mosquito nets treated with insecticides, immediate laboratory tests for malaria-affected residents, provision of medicines and information dissemination were some of the tools that made Bataan’s program successful, the Asec said.
Tayag as usual wowed the crowd with his dancing skill that made mayors, other officials and health workers happily joined him. A parade of fl oats depicting “war on malaria” started the day’s celebration.
