Cooperation in the field of malaria control in Hoa Binh Province

Overview of Scientific Papers, 2002

Papers are in English or Vietnamese, with abstracts provided in the other language.

Preface

After mortality and morbidity due to malaria reached alarming proportions in 1991, malaria control became a priority for the Vietnamese Government. Consequently the Government increased its efforts to tackle this problem and foreign donors were asked to support the malaria control programme. Belgium answered positively to this appeal and in 1995 a project started to support the National Malaria Control Programme in the Province of Hoa Binh.

The National Institute of Malariology, Parastiology and Entomology (NIMPE), the Institute of Tropical Medicine of Antwerp, Belgium (ITM), and in a later stage the Belgian Technical Cooperation (BTC) were responsible for the implementation of the project. In the Province of Hoa Binh, the Centre for Malaria Control (CMC) was in charge.

A considerable amount of research was planned and implemented during the project, involving 5 departments of NIMPE (the departments of epidemiology, entomology, clinical biology, parasitology and the clinical department). Research focused on issues with possible impact on effectiveness of malaria control measures. Following successful results, it became essential to develop new strategies to consolidate results. However, because of the success of the control programme in Hoa Binh, certain studies had to be conducted in provinces elsewhere, with a sufficiently high malaria prevalence to guarantee results.

The present book gives an overview of all scientific papers published during the project (both in English and in Vietnamese) and should provide an opportunity to provincial health staff to improve their knowledge of malaria control and related research issues. New techniques introduced in the department of entomology and positive preliminary results enabled NIMPE to become member of a scientific network which lead to new research grants and consequent publications in collaboration with ITM, but such papers have not been listed in this overview.

Numerous scientists of NIMPE, ITM and staff of CMC were involved in the different research activities. However I would like to mention three persons in particular: I greatly acknowledge Dr. Le Dinh Cong, the Director of NIMPE, not only for his continuous support of the project but for his interest in research, essential to develop appropriate tools for malaria control in Vietnam. His enthusiasm is a driving force for the staff of NIMPE nationwide. I thank Prof Marc Coosemans of the department of parasitology of ITM, who set up the malaria project in Hoa Binh and has introduced NIMPE into a regional research network. I also want to thank Dr. Dinh Van Kieu, head of the CMC in Hoa Binh Province, and his team for participating in all studies and surveys in Hoa Binh Province.

Hanoi, 15 November 2002
Dr Paul Verle
Resident Representative of BTC Hanoi

page last updated:22/01/03

Cooperation in the field of malaria control in Hoa Binh Province

Overview of Scientific Papers, 2002

Contents

Preface