Himalayan News Service

Lalitpur, March 11:

The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) has agreed to provide technical assistance for the next couple of years to help control malaria. Dr John Quinley, health adviser at USAID/Nepal, said USAID would provide technical support for the next couple of years to help control malaria in Nepal. “USAID will work for five objectives, especially stratification in some districts and will continue providing expertise to enhance the optimum use of resources,” he said. A workshop on technical support programme for malaria control was organised by the Ministry of Health and USAID.

USAID will concentrate on five objectives namely strengthening the Vector-borne Disease Research and Training Centre, strengthening malaria surveillance in districts other than 12 priority districts, promote the use of Long Lasting Insecticide Treated Nets in high risk areas in the districts other than 12 priority districts, micro-stratification of malarious areas to target anti-malaria activities effectively, and preparation of the proposal for the fifth round call by the global fund.

According to director at Epidemiology and Disease Control Division, Dr Mahendra Bahadur Bista, the budget has not been finalised and will be finalised next week. “There is a need to monitor the epidemic and epidemiological investigation of outbreaks. We are hopeful USAID will extend technical support for such plans,” he said. Of the total 23 million people, 19 million are at the risk of malaria. Of the 19 million, six million live in 12 districts considered to be high-risk districts. Chief of Policy Planning and International Cooperation Division, Ministry of Health, Dr Hari Nath Acharya, said an agreement has been signed between MoH and Global Fund to provide a grant of $ 7.6 million for the next five years.