Malaria testing is required for new migrant employees in Sarawak.
To stop the spread of zoonotic malaria and imported human malaria, migrant workers who will work in Sarawak have been urged to undergo malaria screening beforehand.
Out of 7,291 cases of zoonotic malaria infection and imported human malaria in the state from 2016 to 2021, 19 deaths were reported, according to Deputy Health Minister II Datuk Aaron Ago Dagang.
When it comes to migrant labour, government or private organisations in industries like plantations, mining, construction, and others need to play a part. In accordance with the government’s policy for foreign workers operating in Sarawak, these workers need pass a medical check, including a malaria screening.
In order to protect their staff from mosquito bites, employers are also required to provide mosquito nets. In his remarks today at the state-level World Malaria Day commemoration in Bandar Kapit Square nearby, he advised workers who were showing signs of malaria to get checked out at a local health facility.
In addition, Sarawakians who caught the illness while working abroad and unwittingly brought malaria parasites with them when they returned to the state, according to Aaron, who is also a Kanowit Member of Parliament, were found to have imported human malaria cases in the state.
Potentially, the parasite could expose locals to human malaria infection. Thus, none of us can become complacent.
According to data, according to Aaron, there were 3,155 cases of malaria in Sarawak in 1999, which was the highest number ever reported, and 2,802 cases in 2010.
However, Sarawak began to effectively meet the goal of having no indigenous human malaria cases in 2016, and has continued to do so to this day.
Aaron claimed that the success was a result of the dedication of all Sarawak Health Department employees in putting into place successful malaria control and elimination programmes in the state.
