Has COVID19 derailed Bhutan's national malaria elimination goal? A commentary

Kinley Penjor1, Tobgyal2, Tandin Zangpo3

  • 1Vector-Borne Disease Control Programme, Department of Public Health, Ministry of Health, Gelephu, Bhutan. kinleyp@health.gov.bt.

Malaria Journal
|January 7, 2021
PubMed

Insights

The COVID-19 pandemic disrupted malaria prevention efforts in Bhutan, leading to a surge in local malaria cases in 2020. This setback jeopardizes Bhutan's goal of malaria elimination by 2020.

Area of Science:

  • Public Health
  • Infectious Diseases
  • Epidemiology

Background:

  • The COVID-19 pandemic caused significant global health service disruptions.
  • Bhutan implemented strict containment measures, including border closures and lockdowns, starting March 2020.
  • A notable increase in local malaria transmission occurred between June and August 2020.

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