Malaria Developing Worrisome Resistance
Cambodia’s western provinces have been developing a resistance to the only anti-malaria medication the government uses, a worried healt
Cambodia’swestern provinces have been developing a resistance to the only anti-malariamedication the government uses, a worried health official said Monday. “I’m worried so much about malaria,” said Duong Socheat,director of the NationalMalaria Center. “Artemisininis the No. 1 drug. Its ability is decreasing.” The NationalMalaria Centerhad taken measures to cure malaria outbreaks, including the examination of malaria resistant to the drug.The center also provides education to villagers to use the drug properly andurges people to sleep under mosquito nets. Cambodiabegan using the drug in 2000. Now it is used “100 percent” in state hospitals. Resistanceto the drug began showing up around 2005, Duong Socheat said. This year, the government used 3.6 million tablets ofthe drug, he said. Some of the medication was provided by the Chinese government,he said. About 70 people nationwide have died from malaria so far this year, hesaid. “If malaria becomes resistant to artemisinin,” he said,“gradually, more patients of malaria will die.”