When traveling to tropical countries, one of the things you always have to consider, is the risk of diseases. One of those diseases is malaria. Malaria is a sickness transmitted through the bite of infected mosquitoes called Anopheles. For decades it has been a deadly disease causing hundreds of thousands of deaths every year – especially among children. Those times are luckily over, since many countries have made great progress in preventing and treating malaria. Laos is one of those countries.
Government initiatives to stop the disease
The main reason for the decline of malaria in Laos are the efforts of the government. Due to various initiatives more people are able to get treatment on time. Before that, even a simple test was hard to access. As a result, the numbers of cases are declining steadily. From 2010 to now, malaria cases have decreased by more than half. Still, the disease remains a rare, but often serious problem – especially in rural areas. Therefore the Lao government pledged to eliminate malaria until 2030. To achieve that they‘re focussing on the following strategies:
- Conducting health education campaigns
- Distributing rapid diagnostic tests
- Improving healthcare services
- Strengthening surveillance systems
- Training volunteer malaria workers
Are these measures enough? We’re pretty confident. After all, the number of deaths is significantly lower than in the past.
Malaria-related deaths are becoming increasingly rare
There are no 100% accurate figures for malaria-related deaths in Laos. What we can say for sure is that between 1990 and 2010 – before the government implemented real measures to stop malaria – there were around 20 to 30 deaths per 100,000 people, depending on the specific region. Around 2020 the situation was already significantly better with just around 1 to 2 deaths per 100,000 people, showing the positive impact of malaria control efforts.
High-risk regions to be aware of
Malaria isn’t one of the main health problems in Laos anymore. Other diseases pose a significantly higher risk. Nonetheless, as a traveler you shouldn’t underestimate the danger of malaria. At least in high-risk regions, precautions are still advisable. To check risk levels, take a look at this malaria map for Laos. There you can easily identify which areas are most affected.
How malaria gets transmitted
As we mentioned already, malaria gets transmitted through mosquito bites. To be more precise: Only female Anopheles mosquitoes carry the malaria parasite. If you get bitten by a female Anopheles mosquito, the parasite enters your bloodstream and usually causes symptoms like chills, fever and pain. The risk of an infection depends on various factors, like the mosquito populations in a specific region, the time of year, and your individual susceptibility. The latter can make a huge difference. Some people have genetic traits that offer significant protection, while others are more vulnerable and develop severe symptoms.
How to prevent an infection
If you’re going outside, you’ll most likely get into contact with mosquitoes. Those nasty insects are among the most dangerous animals in Laos, since they can transmit plenty of diseases. The good thing is that if you protect yourself against malaria, you also reduce your risk of diseases like for example dengue. The best way to prevent an infection is to use insect repellent every time you go outside. It’s also advisable to wear long-sleeved clothing and long pants, but we totally understand if that’s too hot and humid for you.
A positive outlook for the future
The Anopheles is one of the few animals that modern humans actively tried to exterminate. Unfortunately, the nasty mosquitoes are still around and probably will be for a long time. That doesn’t change the fact that the malaria situation in Laos got a lot better over the years. Compared to before there are way less deaths and fewer cases overall. Because of this and the improving healthcare the outlook for the future is very promising.
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