Myanmar Continues to Make Efforts in Disease Eradication

Myanmar continues to make efforts in disease eradication

YANGON, Nov. 22 (Xinhua) — Myanmar has been continuing to make efforts in reducing and eradicating outbreak and spread of major diseases, scoring some achievements in the sector, official press reported Tuesday.

Claiming that Myanmar has been free from smallpox, polio and leprosy, the health authorities are placing emphasis on fighting six common diseases in the country — malaria, tuberculosis (TB), diarrhea, dysentery, diabetes and hypertension, and effective treatment is being given to the six diseases with the use of potent medicines coupled with effective therapies, said the New Light of Myanmar.

Extended vaccination is also being constantly given to young children against diseases such as diphtheria, whooping cough, tetanus, polio, measles and TB, the report said, adding that major progress has been made with the project.

According to the figures of progress made in the eradication of malaria, the rate of outbreak of the disease has been brought down from 24.5 per 1,000 persons in 1988 to 11.1 per 1,000 in 2005 with the mortality rate from 10.4 per 100,000 in 1988 to 3.65 per 100, 000 in 2005.

Meanwhile, a mass campaign in fight against HIV/AIDS is also being launched in Myanmar. According to the figures revealed by the Ministry of Health, a total of 338,911 people in the country were estimated to have been infected with HIV. The figures were part of the findings of a survey jointly conducted by the ministry, the United Nations agencies and NGOs.

Myanmar has been implementing a three-year joint program (2003- 05) to fight HIV/AIDS and voluntary testing and counseling for those contracting the virus are being introduced to help fight the disease.