Malaysia has come a long way in the prevention and control of Malaria since the introduction of the Malaria Eradication Programme in 1960. In 2011, the programme had reached a significant milestone of having less than 1 case per 1,000 population and thereby entered the elimination phase. During the same year, The National Malaria Elimination Strategic Plan was introduced targeting Malaysia as a “malaria free” status by 2020.


Anuar Yusuf, a product of the MCKK Science Five 1972, did not plan to be one of the important players in the campaigns to ensuring this nation, Malaysia, achieve the target of being malaria free. He is now retired but still reminiscence on his efforts, his involvement and his hopes in the fight against malaria. Anuar hails from Kampar, Perak.


Among the measures taken by The Anti Malaria Programme (or Rancangan Pembasmian Malaria) includes DDT Sprayings to all permanent and temporary dwellings DDT is short for Dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane, commonly known as DDT, is a colourless, tasteless, and almost odourless crystalline chemical compound, an organochlorine, originally developed as an insecticide.


, spraying insecticides in anti-malarial drains.

Hulu Perak was among the most Malaria Prone ( Disease Prevailing all year round ) areas since 1950 or 60’s. Plasmodia attack the red blood cells in thousands and maybe millions. The effect is the reducing of Oxygen intake to the cells. As all the blood circulation goes to the brain, oxygen deprivation of the brain is the result. The consequence to this is that it reduces the brain capability. These include thinking faculties and intelligence. Finally resulting poor mental performance ( intellectual capacity - It's purely theoretical) Realising that freeing the young generations from malaria menace or scrouge was the burning engine that makes Anuar strive hard and be as effective as possible in the jihad against malaria. The ultimate goal was eventually to produce more intelligent Malay rural generations. He also witnessed that effective and proactive actions resulted very positively in Hulu Perak during his years there till to the late 1980s!!!!


Another measure in the Programme is the Quality Checking of Blood Film Malaria Parasite or BFMP. The 100% checking is to be done immediately on suspects and not wait for a peak of fever before examining thick and thin blood films. If the initial film is negative, then it is encouraged to repeat another two samples or more especially at the peak of fever if symptoms persist.

Malaria is the number one cause of child morbidity and mortality. Travellers travelling to malaria-infested areas to can become prone to catching it. In cases where patients that were already on Anti-Malarial Drugs, measures to cover their immediate families and house contacts are also carried out under this programme.


Measures also include to plan out drainage and to drain swamps in urban and fringes of urban areas to prevent them from becoming breeding grounds for Anopheles mosquitoes.

The last measure is Environmental Management for vector control aiming to induce changes in ecosystems that help reduce their receptivity to the propagation of disease vectors. The scope involves examining the local eco-setting of the disease vector and disease transmission patterns, and then systematically design and periodically update strategies and action plans. It could be an underground piping system

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