LAGAWE, Ifugao — The district health officers of Ifugao and Mt. Province namely AMADHS (Aguinaldo, Mayoyao, Alfonso Lista) in Ifugao and PARANA (Paracelis and Natonin) in Mt. Province met this month to discuss malaria control in the common boundaries of the two provinces. The meeting was called to address the growing concern of malaria transmission between the said municipalities of the two provinces and possible mitigation measures that could be undertaken to reduce if not totally eradicate cases of malaria.

The interprovincial meeting held at Punta Amelita in Isabela presided by Gov Teddy Baguilat Jr. was attended by representatives from the Global Fund Malaria project, DOH-CHD, concerned LGUs and health officers of Ifugao and Mt. Province.

The dialogue identified the areas mentioned above are endemic to malaria and there is high interaction among the people of these areas because of their geographical proximity. This causing high risk of disease transmission also. With this, border operations was identified as a way to address the transmission of the disease.

Among the border operations agreed upon to be undertaken by both provinces are routine malaria control service delivery focusing on mosquito control activities like scheduled spraying.

The Philippine Malaria Information System (PhilMIS) will be an important tool for health workers in the sharing of information regarding patients inflicted with malaria.

The body also agreed on the creation of interprovincial interlocal health zones between Ifugao and Mountain Province districts of Aguinaldo-Mayoyao-Alfonso Lista and Paracelis-Natonin that  will aim for the prevention of malaria disease transmission in the identified areas and reduction of malaria case of Paracelis by 70% while achieving a malaria-free area status for Ifugao.

The border operations will be monitored jointly by DOH-CHD, the Global Fund Malaria project and the Provincial Local Government Unit of both provinces through its Provincial Health Offices. # Robie Halip