Vietnam confident of malaria elimination by 2030: Deputy Minister of Health Nguyen Thi Lien Huong speaks at the event. (Photo: Ministry of Health

Addressing a ceremony marking Vietnamese Doctors' Day (February 27) and presenting awards of a competition on the life and scientific career of the late Prof. Dang Van Ngu, held by the National Institute of Malariology, Parasitology and Entomology (NIMPE) in Hanoi on February 22, Deputy Minister Huong said Vietnam has emerged as a beacon in the regional and global fight against malaria.

She commended NIMPE for its pivotal role in reducing malaria cases, deaths and outbreaks. As of the end of 2023, 46 provinces had achieved malaria-free status, a dramatic turnaround from 1991 when over 1 million cases and 4,646 deaths were reported annually. In 2022, only 455 cases and one death were recorded, with no major outbreaks.

Part of this success, Huong noted, stems from the pioneering work of Prof. Ngu, a renowned Vietnamese parasitologist.

Looking ahead, she urged NIMPE leaders and staff to build on their past achievements, uphold solidarity, and fulfill assigned tasks to combat insect-borne and parasitic diseases, ultimately striving for their elimination.