For Nguyen Van Phuc, a local honey-gatherer, things were never the same on a spring day in 2022. Phuc had entered the forest, as he had done many times before, to collect honey. But this time it was different. Phuc went on his usual honey-gathering trip deep within the forest, a journey that typically spanned 10 to 12 days. After several days deep in the forest collecting honey, Phuc began feeling unusually cold. He was soon overcome by chills, a high fever, profuse sweating, and intense body aches, making even the smallest movements unbearable. His headache worsened by the hour, and his appetite disappeared completely.
“At first, I thought it was just exhaustion,” Phuc recalled. “But when the fever didn’t go away after three days and I started shaking uncontrollably at night, I knew something was wrong. I remembered what the health team told us—don’t wait.”
Drawing from the guidance given by the Malaria Mobile Outreach Team (MOT), which has visited his village multiple times to educate the community about malaria prevention and the importance of seeking medical attention, Phuc made his way to the Suoi Bac commune health center. There, he received timely treatment, which ultimately saved his life.
The Mobile Outreach Team has been part of the community's malaria prevention for years. With funding support from the Global Fund under the RAI4E programme, Health Poverty Action (HPA) has been implementing mobile outreach activities in Vietnam.
The Mobile Outreach Team, a critical component of the community’s malaria prevention and response strategy, had already established a strong rapport with Phuc and his neighbors. Every team has two dedicated members: a Malaria Volunteer and a Village Health Worker (VHW), or a local respected leader where the VHW is unavailable. Together, they do active case finding and follow-up visits and help ensure that patients follow the full malaria treatment. They work hand in hand with the local health staff, who monitor and analyze malaria cases within the respective communes for the ongoing response.
Even after Phuc’s recovery, the Mobile Outreach Team's support did not end. The team continued to visit his home regularly, conducting follow-up tests to ensure that he was malaria-free and reinforcing the importance of preventive measures. The team’s commitment to Phuc and his family went beyond medical; it was about ongoing education and support. They kept reminding him to use bed nets at home and take the necessary precautions to protect himself and his loved ones from malaria.
"I don't mind them testing my blood from time to time," Phuc said. "They saved my life, and they keep me and my family safe.”
After recovering from the malaria, Phuc started a new journey by raising chickens, planting crops, and practicing sustainable farming techniques. No longer relying solely on the forest, Phuc’s life was transformed with an extra steady income.
“I don’t go into the forest as often anymore, but I haven’t let my guard down. We still sleep under bed nets at home every night and follow what the health team taught us. Malaria,” he said.
Phuc's story is not one of merely surviving malaria but one of empowerment and the long-term effects of health education. The work of the Mobile Outreach Team, in such close partnership with the local health workers, shows how community-based programs can have a profound and lasting effect. Through active case detection, follow-up visits, and malaria prevention education, the team is curing individuals like Phuc and empowering them to protect their health and their families for years to come.
