Malaria among foreign migrant workers in Savannakhet Province, Lao People’s Democratic Republic

Abstract

BackgroundAlthough mobile and migrant populations are considered an important group in malaria elimination settings, there is currently a lack of understanding about foreign migrant workers in the Lao People’s Democratic Republic (Lao PDR). The present study aimed to document the migration characteristics, positive rate of malaria infection, and preventive and treatment-seeking behavior for malaria among foreign migrant workers in the malaria-endemic districts of Savannakhet province, Lao PDR.MethodsA community-based survey was undertaken in four districts of Savannakhet province between February and June, 2015. Questionnaire-based interviews and blood examinations, including rapid diagnostic tests and PCR assays, were conducted with 391 migrant workers who were registered at local police departments.ResultsMost of the study participants were men (75.7%) and Vietnamese (92.6%). The median age (interquartile range) was 31 (25 to 41) years old. Most common occupation was factory worker (47.6%), followed by trader/shopkeeper (21.5%) and plantation worker/farmer (16.4%). The median length of stay (interquartile range) in the districts was 405 (183 to 1207) days. The majority of the participants (85.9%) had not worked in a province other than the study province, nor had the majority (92.6%) worked in a foreign country other than the Lao PDR. Although most of the participants (62.7%) reportedly used a bed net daily, these nets were mostly conventional untreated ones. No one tested positive for malaria. However, 10.0% of the participants reported a malaria-like illness episode that had occurred in the Lao PDR. The most common measure taken for the episode was to visit a hospital/health center in the Lao PDR, followed by conducting self-medication alone. Forty-one participants reported an experience of working in the forest while living in the Lao PDR.ConclusionsForeign migrant workers who are registered at local police departments are unlikely to play a major role in maintaining local transmissions and spreading drug-resistant malaria in the study province. However, some of them were involved in forest-related activities, suggesting that these workers are potentially at risk of malaria. The Lao National Malaria Control Program should educate foreign migrant workers about the risk of malaria when living in Lao PDR.

Results from a malaria indicator survey highlight the importance of routine data capture in high-risk forest and farm transmission sites in Vietnam to tailor location-specific malaria elimination interventions

“…These remote forest regions in central Vietnam are synonymous for having high proportions of asymptomatic infections [19], and high numbers of mobile and migrant populations (MMPs) working and sleeping in forest environments [20]. Previous surveys in South East Asia have indicated that high proportions of MMPs do not actively engage in malaria prevention practices, leading to poor intervention coverage and an increased risk of infection [21][22][23]. These factors highlight the risk of introducing and/or sustaining ongoing malaria transmission through continuous population movement.…”

Traditional Beliefs, Practices, and Migration: A Risk to Malaria Transmission in Rural Nepal

“…Annually an estimated 700,000 thousand migrant workers cross over to India from the four western check posts [ 15 ]. Furthermore, several studies across the Asia Pacific region support the theory of increased risk of malaria among migrant workers [ 40 , 41 , 42 ]. Nepalese migrant workers commonly reported working at night as security guards or labourers in malaria-endemic areas of India, increasing their risk of mosquito bites [ 15 ].…”

“…Nepalese migrant workers commonly reported working at night as security guards or labourers in malaria-endemic areas of India, increasing their risk of mosquito bites [ 15 ]. Accordingly, occupation and the subsequent duration of exposure to vectors in the workplace are closely associated with malaria transmission among migrant workers [ 40 , 41 ]. Going forward, a multi-component strategy should be adopted to minimize malaria transmission risk among migrant workers.…”

Tools to accelerate falciparum malaria elimination in Cambodia: a meeting report

“…Recent evidence for the success of this strategy comes from the roll out of malaria posts in Karen State, Myanmar which played an important part in the dramatic reduction of malaria transmission [21]. In 2009, Cambodia successfully introduced village malaria worker (VMW) programmes which have now been expanded country wide [22][23][24][25][26]. The main challenges in the ongoing case management of malaria are the continued provision and support of competent health care providers e.g.…”