MSF treats 1,700 malaria patients

The international medical organisation Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) has treated

around 1,700 malaria patients in the hill district Bandarban during an emergency

intervention led by the Ministry of Health, states a press release.

In mid-August, MSF launched the intervention in the most malaria affected upazilas,

Alikadam and Thanchi, of the district. Earlier in June-July, an emergency was declared in

the district internally regarding the unexpected and alarming rise of malaria, which was

eventuality seen as a decreased trend in the last five years.

Mong Te Jho, acting civil surgeon of Bandarban said the situation was now under control

and all the private health service providers, including MSF, were shutting down their

activities in the district.

He said: “MSF has already stopped their mission in Alikadam upazila and is preparing to

stop work at Thanchi soon.”

The country has reduced 70% malaria patients in the past five years. In 2008, the number

of malaria patients was 83,000 while in 2014 the number is 26,000, according to the

Ministry Of Health.