Kalinga observes World Malaria Day

By Larry T. Lopez

Monday 30th of April 2012

TABUK CITY, Kalinga, April 30 (PIA) -- The province have joined other countries in the observance of World Malaria Day today with the theme, “Save gains, save lives invest in malaria.”

The celebration led by local officials, opened with a motorcade around the city, followed by a cultural program at the provincial capitol gym.

Highlighting the celebration is the ceremonial pinning of the province’s logo by governor Jocel C. Baac to the “travelling net” as symbol of Kalinga’s support to the global program against malaria.

The “travelling net” is an insecticide-treated bed net, passed-on among provinces in Region 2 and the Cordillera region to symbolize the inter-regional campaign in support to the Global Anti-malaria Program, Langbayan said.

From Kalinga, the net travels to Apayao then to other provinces of Region 2 until it finally concludes in November during the culmination of the campaign.

The first ceremonial pinning of support took place during the launching of the “travelling net” in Ifugao last February.

After the cultural program is an information-education session by provincial staff of the Global Movement Against Malaria and other health personnel before invited pregnant mothers.

Global Malaria Program Provincial Coordinator Mae Langbayan said the activities today push to sustain the gains in the global program against malaria and rallies stakeholders around the world to continue to pour in their support.

While cases in previously identified malaria endemic countries have been remarkably brought down since the launch of Global Anti-malaria Program, there is a continuing eradication advocacy against the disease to keep the fight up among countries, Langbayan explained.

She hinted the fear among leaders of the global program saying that when awareness goes down, cases may start to climb again defeating the gains already achieved. (JDP/LL-PIA CAR Kalinga)