Nghe An province is stepping up efforts to prevent and control parasitic diseases.

Accordingly, Nghe An is located in a tropical region, and its climate, people's living habits, and current environmental hygiene are very favorable for the development and spread of parasitic diseases.

Groups at high risk of infection include preschool children, schoolchildren, and women of childbearing age. Certain occupations involving frequent direct contact with soil have higher infection rates, such as farming, vegetable and crop cultivation.

Parasites are a source of disease transmission, and some of them can be fatal to their hosts. (Image: Internet)

According to the results of a survey conducted by the National Institute of Malaria, Parasitology, and Entomology in 2020-2021 in several districts of Nghe An province, the rate of intestinal worm infection was 15-20%.

According to reports on symptomatic patients examined at the Nghe An Provincial Center for Disease Control (2018-2022), the rate of detecting infected patients was...liver flukeHepatomegaly was 18.33%, Strongyloides larval stage was 13%, and Canine and feline roundworm larval stage was 37%.

Parasitic diseases often have a silent, prolonged course, so they receive little attention. Meanwhile, the incidence of some types of parasites is high in certain specific populations, such as children, women of reproductive age, disadvantaged populations, and ethnic minorities.

Economic conditions, hygiene practices related to food, personal hygiene, and environmental sanitation in schools and rural areas are still challenging, increasing the risk of infection and limiting the effectiveness of prevention and control.

In order to contribute to reducing the burden of common parasitic diseases in Nghe An province and improving public health, the People's Committee of Nghe An province has issued Plan No. 241/KH-UBND.

Specifically, the People's Committee of Nghe An province clearly assigned responsibilities to departments, agencies, and localities to assess the prevalence of parasitic diseases such as soil-transmitted helminth infections, intestinal helminth infections, foodborne liver fluke infections, zoonotic parasitic diseases, etc., and to develop epidemiological maps of these diseases and groups of parasitic diseases.

Based on this, propose interventions and develop appropriate plans for the prevention and control of parasitic diseases for each disease group and epidemiological region; determine the needs for drugs, supplies, funding, and interventions for each epidemiological region; and create plans for the prevention and control of parasitic diseases according to the epidemiological region for each parasitic disease.

In 2023, the following localities implemented epidemiological zoning assessments of parasitic diseases: Dien Chau, Nghia Dan, Quy Chau, Vinh City, Nam Dan, Tan Ky, and Tuong Duong. In 2024, assessments will be conducted in Nghi Loc, Quynh Luu, Hoang Mai Town, Quy Hop, Do Luong, Anh Son, and Ky Son. In 2025, assessments will be conducted in Yen Thanh, Thai Hoa Town, Cua Lo Town, Que Phong, Hung Nguyen, Thanh Chuong, and Con Cuong.

Nghe An province has selected 9 types of diseases to prioritize for assessment during the 2023-2025 period as follows: Soil-transmitted helminth diseases (roundworm; whipworm; hookworm); other intestinal helminth diseases (pinworm); foodborne trematode diseases (liver fluke disease); and zoonotic parasitic diseases (canine and feline roundworm larval disease).

Alongside the assessment, Nghe An province also outlined intervention solutions for the prevention and control of parasitic diseases, including: organizing treatment for cases; strengthening communication efforts; solutions for the people; solutions in schools; and coordination among departments and agencies in implementing prevention and control measures.

Thanh Chung