Viet Nam has achieved remarkable progress in malaria control and is well-positioned to reach its goal of eliminating malaria by 2030. There has been a reduction in malaria caseload from around 200,000 in 2000 to just 100 in the first quarter of 2024. Some 42 of 63 provinces were classified malaria-free in 2022 – that is, no local malaria transmission during at least the past three years.
As malaria cases decrease, at-risk communities are mainly in hard-to-reach areas with ethnic groups and mobile populations, such as dense forests and border regions. Here, volunteers like Ho Van Than are crucial for delivering essential malaria services.
With grant support from the Global Fund, Health Poverty Action (HPA) has established mobile outreach teams (MOTs) to provide malaria prevention and treatment services to people working in the forest at the border areas and to support the National Malaria Programme in malaria control for mobile migrant populations (MMPs), especially forest-goers and cross-border migrant workers, to eliminate Plasmodium falciparum malaria by 2025 towards malaria elimination in Viet Nam by 2030.
Each MOT consists of a malaria volunteer and a village health worker (VHW) or a trusted village leader. They conduct malaria active case detection and follow-up treatment, coordinated by commune health staff who monitor malaria cases regularly.
The effectiveness of MOTs is well-documented, providing integrated services like testing using rapid diagnostic tests (RDTs) and microscopy, follow-up treatment, and interpersonal communication according to national guidelines. Malaria volunteers have broader responsibilities, including leadership, coordination, data management, and providing feedback to VHWs, who focus on direct activity implementation and support. This MOT model promotes sustainability by leveraging existing human resources and information systems within local health systems rather than establishing a short-term parallel system.
Malaria volunteers act as MOT team leaders, responsible for reaching out to MMPs to proactively screen and detect cases (using blood smear test and RDTs), support treatment adherence, and provide communication on malaria prevention to MMPs in the commune under their management. The MMPs are difficult-to-reach people who usually go to the forest, sleep in the field, and travel back and forth across the border.
Ho Van Than's journey from a university graduate to a dedicated community volunteer is inspiring. Born in Rapo village, Quảng Trị province, he has a deep sense of responsibility towards his community. After studying pharmacy at Hue University, he struggled to find suitable employment. He returned to his village, embracing the roles of husband, father, and community member. Eventually, he was selected as a malaria volunteer for the HPA project.
Equipped with the knowledge acquired through education and previous experiences, he started setting out into the dense forests and fields, reaching out to high-risk individuals and conducting malaria tests and conveying messages in his community.
Ho Van Than stands out because he knows and cares deeply about his community. He speaks their language and knows the area well, making it easy for him to connect healthcare with those who need it most. As part of the MOT, he is working closely with the VHW to conduct active case detection and ensure follow-up treatment for those afflicted by malaria.
Group communication sessions are conducted in the local language, employing interactive methods to fully engage the high-risk communities, ensuring that vital malaria communication messages are effectively delivered.
As Quảng Trị province strives to eliminate malaria from its boundaries, volunteers like Ho Van Than are invaluable. In addition to allocating funds for facilities and providing necessary materials and equipment, there is an emphasis on strengthening the community medical network. This involves detecting and treating patients directly at commune health centres and implementing measures like indoor residual spraying (IRS) on house walls.
Additionally, there is a pressing need for early and remote monitoring and communication, especially in remote villages, upland areas, and among MMPs. Volunteers with both knowledge and practical skills in malaria are invaluable in this endeavour, exemplified by individuals like Ho Van Than, who gives everything to help his community stay healthy.
