1 May 2014

Malaria threatens 90 percent of PNG

12:15 pm on 1 May 2014

90 percent of Papua New Guinea's seven million population are at risk of malaria infection.

The Minister for Health and HIV AIDS, Michael Malabag, says malaria is the leading cause for hospital admissions in PNG.

Mr Malabag says the figures are even higher than what is on record and that the burden falls on the rural majority and the urban poor.

The Post Courier reports that according to the Institute of Medical Research, only 40 percent of children under five and only 44 percent of pregnant women were sleeping under nets at night.

Mr Malabag said getting rid of malaria has been a challenge but some goals have been achieved through partnership.