Global Fund, the world’s largest funding body which withdrew its operations from Burma last year, has opened additional malaria posts in three Thai provinces along the Thai-Burmese border.

The funding group now operates some 87 malaria posts, comprising 100 staff, throughout Tak province, according to Dr Suphakit Sirilak, deputy director of the Tak Provincial Health Department.

Global Fund opened its first malaria posts in 2003 in Tak, Mae Hong Son and Kanchanaburi. Others quickly followed in Chumporn, Prachuap Khirikhan and Yala in 2004. The three newest posts are now operating in Trat, Surat Thani and Ranong, areas that have large populations of migrant workers from Burma.

“The results from our operations over the last two years show that we are becoming very effective,” said Sirilak. “In about five years, the number of patients-both Thai and Burmese-reached more than 80,000, but over the last two years, we have treated less than 20,000. And the death rate has dropped.”

He added that since Global Fund’s withdrawal from Burma, there has been concern that outbreaks of malaria will increase in Thailand because people are crossing the border from Burma every day. The group pulled out of Burma last August, and prior to its departure had committed nearly US $100 million to fight HIV/AIDS, malaria and tuberculosis in Burma.

The community malaria post projects receive financial support from Global Fund and are operated by the Thai Ministry of Public Health. The group has pledged nearly $5.3 million over five years to fight malaria along the Thai-Burmese border.

The community posts are staffed by local villagers trained by the health department to identify the presence of the disease in blood samples quickly and without the use of a microscope. Examinations and treatment are provided free of charge to anyone who needs them.