CITY OF TABUK, Kalinga–A national and regional evaluation team from the Department of Health assessed the province towards its declaration as malaria-free.
Rosario Alunday of the Provincial Health Office (PHO) reported Kalinga did not have any malaria case in the last five years covering the period 2013-2017.
The province also did not have any death case from malaria for the period 2008-2017.
Alunday said the present malaria case status of the province is highly laudable since malaria used to be the top cause of mortality and morbidity in the place.
In 1999-2006, more than 10 deaths were recorded while 250 cases were reported in 1993-2007.
Gov. Jocel C. Baac in his keynote remarks recalled how Tabuk in the early-50s was feared because of malaria.
Many of the first migrant settlers in the vast valley of Tabuk died due to the ‘killer malaria’ forcing people to abandon the place, Baac said.
Sharing how the province’s zero-malaria status had been reached, Alunday cited the sustained drive through partnership with entities like Global Fund.
The PHO-led malaria prevention efforts include elimination of mosquito breeding sites, chemical control through spraying and other biological methods.
Other interventions were also employed like distribution of treated mosquito nets, larvicides and mist spraying.
Health authorities here aim to sustain the malaria-free status of the province by putting-up malaria diagnostic centers and prompt treatment facilities, scale-up training of health personnel and improve the referral system.
Cleaning of surroundings is still the top-preventive action against mosquitoes, Alunday stressed. **PIA Kalinga
