Centre fights malaria

 THE Lihir Medical Centre has implemented a malaria management and control strategy that has seen the substantial reduction in the prevalence and incidence of malaria on Lihir Island in New Ireland.

The medical centre is operated by Newcrest Mining Ltd.

Public health supervisor at the medical centre Raymond Paru said: “Newcrest’s Lihir Gold operations recognise that malaria is a major issue affecting employee health as well as the health of the communities surrounding their operations in malaria endemic areas.

“The burden of malaria in Papua New Guinea is among the highest in the Asia and the Pacific region.”

The malaria management and control strategy commenced in 1997 and involved the partnership of the centre, public health department, Newcrest’s Lihir community relations team and the sub-district and provincial health departments.

“The Newcrest Lihir operations has funded an integrated vector control programme within the villages surrounding the mine as part of its commitment to delivering an effective malaria control strategy.

“Malaria is a life-threatening disease caused by parasites that are transmitted to people by infected mosquitoes.”

The plasmodium parasites are spread to people through the bites of infected anopheles mosquitoes, commonly referred to as malaria vectors, which bite mainly between dusk and dawn.

“Lihir Island falls within a wet tropical forest zone where the average annual rainfall is about 4,000mm per annum creating conditions suitable for breeding of Anopheles mosquitoes,” he said.

The centre’s malaria control strategies include surveillance and case management, integrated vector control management, epidemic preparedness and early response, and capacity building. 

The capacity building focuses on developing the skills of community health workers on Lihir Island and the outer islands of Lihir, in the distribution of treated bed nets as well as supporting the supply of anti-malaria drugs.

A recent study conducted by the centre found that from 2006 to 2011, there had been a substantial reduction in the incidence of malaria in Lihirian villages. The study attributed the reduction to the implementation of the malaria control intervention in the villages surrounding the mine.

More significant is that the study found that the prevalence of malaria in children had fallen from 31.5% to 5.8% in villages where the control strategies had been introduced.

“The health of our employees and Lihir Island communities is very important to Newcrest,” Karl Spaleck, the general manager Lihir Gold operations, said. 

“Newcrest is committed to delivering a comprehensive and effective malaria control strategy.”

The next step is to extend the control intervention programmes to all villages on Lihir Island.

The Lihir Gold operations recently commemorated World Malaria Day by distributing 900 long lasting insecticide mosquito nets to its Lihirian and National employees as well as conducting site wide awareness on malaria.