The current situation of the anti-malaria programme in Thailand.

The activities of the Malaria Control Programme in Thailand have reduced the mortality rate of 351 per 100,000 population in 1947 to 3.9 per 100,000 population in 1986. Over the same period the morbidity rate showed a reduction from 286 per 1,000 population to 5.0 per 1,000 population. The steady decrease in mortality and morbidity in the last few years is attributed to the expansion of primary health care delivery and the establishment and strengthening of 480 malaria clinics providing prompt diagnosis and treatment. Difficulties are being experienced in maintaining and improving the malaria situation. These include multi-drug resistance of Plasmodium falciparum, exophilic tendencies of primary anopheline vectors and continual population migration. A country-wide service of village volunteers has been established and a great deal of emphasis is being given to personal protection. The combination drug mefloquine-sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine was introduced into the country as first line drug for the treatment of falciparum malaria.