Directive No. 12-TTg on malaria prevention and control in the Central Highlands

DIRECTIVE

OF THE PRIME MINISTER - Decision No. 12-TTg dated October 17, 1992 ON THE WORK TO PREVENT AND CONTROL MALARIA IN THE CENTRAL Highlands

At present, malaria in the Central Highlands is developing very seriously. According to the report of the Ministry of Health for the first nine months of 1992, the number of deaths from malaria in the Central Highlands has reached 507 people, accounting for 50.2% of the total number of deaths from malaria nationwide this year; the number of people suffering from malaria is 92,398 people, accounting for 20% of the total number of people suffering from malaria nationwide. With a population of less than three million people, the number of people suffering from malaria and dying from malaria in the provinces of the Central Highlands is very high.

To promptly prevent the serious development of malaria in the provinces of the Central Highlands, the Prime Minister instructs:

1. The People's Committees of the provinces of Gia Lai, Kon Tum, Dak Lak and the Ministry of Health shall immediately report (in October 1992) to the Prime Minister on the causes of the malaria situation, especially the situation of many deaths from malaria locally, the shortcomings and responsibilities of local authorities and the health sector in this matter.

2. The Ministry of Health shall be directly responsible for directing the work to prevent and control malaria throughout the Central Highlands area, mobilizing all central and local forces, forming mobile teams to go to each village to spray or impregnate mosquito-killing chemicals and treat malaria for the people. The Ministry shall increase funding to purchase medicines and chemicals to ensure timely requirements for preventing and controlling malaria in the Central Highlands.

3. The People's Committees of the Central Highlands provinces shall be responsible for coordinating with the Ministry of Health to implement the work to prevent and control malaria at the local level, immediately establishing mobile medical teams to promptly carry out preventive measures against malaria, organizing to grasp the malaria situation in a timely and accurate manner, especially in highland, remote, and border areas.

The provincial People's Committee must allocate local budget funds to meet the needs for spraying, impregnating, and transporting chemicals, ensuring sufficient financial quotas for hospitals, particularly district-level hospitals, to have enough common medicines, minimum resuscitation equipment, and other necessary conditions for treating patients.

State agencies shall closely coordinate with the Red Cross and mass organizations at the local level to carry out propaganda, education, and mobilization of the people to implement preventive measures against malaria according to the guidance of health officials.

4. Ministries, General Departments having forestry, agricultural, and industrial enterprises, and units operating in the Central Highlands area shall be responsible for coordinating with the People's Committees of the Central Highlands provinces and the health sector to carry out the work to prevent and control malaria for the local population and for cadres, workers, and staff working in the locality.

5. If it is really necessary to supplement the budget for malaria prevention and control in 1992, the Ministry of Health shall directly work with the Ministry of Finance to resolve this specifically.

Starting from October 1992, the Minister of Health and the Chairmen of the People's Committees of the provinces are required to report monthly to the Prime Minister on the developments of the malaria situation, the results achieved, and the difficulties that need to be resolved in the work to prevent and control malaria in the Central Highlands.