Malaysia needs to sustain and intensify efforts to beat neglected tropical diseases to meet global targets for disease elimination such as lymphatic filariasis and rabies and targets for control of dengue by 2030.
WHO’s Ending the neglect to attain the Sustainable Development Goals: a road map for neglected tropical diseases 2021-2030, is a blueprint that proposes ambitious targets and innovative approaches to tackle 20 diseases being neglected tropical diseases (NTDs), which globally affect more than 1.7 billion people.
“As Malaysia and the rest of the world continue to face the COVID-19 pandemic, we must not lose our attention on neglected tropical diseases (NTDs), which have a devastating impact on people’s health and livelihoods,” says Dr Lo Ying-Ru Jacqueline, WHO Representative for Malaysia, Brunei Darussalam and Singapore.
Malaysia has a long history of fighting NTDs such as dengue, rabies and lymphatic filariasis. Of vector-borne diseases in Malaysia, dengue is the greatest threat, with 88,000 cases and more than 140 deaths in 2020. Among the innovative approaches is work by the Institute for Medical Research to use Wolbachia bacteria to prevent mosquitoes from transmitting dengue (as well as Zika and chikungunya) to humans. A combination of public health interventions such as early treatment, surveillance and vector control measures, and more intensive engagement of communities to increase awareness, has brought some success in dengue control.
Between July 2017 and December 2020, Sarawak reported 31 cases of rabies in humans, of whom 29 died. Response measures include awareness programmes, mass vaccination of pet dogs, animal bite clinics, and strengthened coordination between health departments and veterinary services, but more needs to be done to protect health and save lives.
Lymphatic filariasis is still endemic in parts of Malaysia. Mass drug administration (MDA) programmes as a part of the Global Programme to Eliminate Lymphatic Filariasis (GPELF) are currently ongoing.
“Malaysia has been accelerating these efforts and intensify work across different sectors to beat NTDs. Taking action against these diseases has been shown to be one of the best buys in global public health and helps reduce health inequality. WHO is committed to its continued collaboration with the Malaysian Government in the fight against NTDs,” says Dr Lo.