1. Following the inter country meeting in Yemen in Feb. 2002, in vivo monitoring of anti malarial drugs started in Iran. At present 5 sentinel sites are activated in the following districts: Sarbaz, Chabahar, Kahnouj, Minab and Bandar Abbass. The criteria for selecting the sites are: local transmission exists, observing transmission of Falciparum parasite, similarity of the site with other selected sites, and applicability of the project in the site in respect of the availability of facilities and local staff. The local authorities and the experts from the Disease management Center (DMC) conducted provincial training workshops. A National workshop was also held in one of the pilot provinces with the presence of Dr Ringwald and the protocol: “Assessment of the therapeutic Efficacy of Antimalarial Drugs for Uncomplicated falciparum Malaria” was discussed. The first choice medicine in Iran is still the chloroquine.

2. In September and October 2002 a 45 days course on malaria planning and management was held in Bandar Abbas Health Research Training Center. 18 physicians and technical officers in the field of malaria control program from different provinces of the country participated in the course. The objectives of the course were:

1. To improve the skills of the participants in the field of malaria situation analysis, setting the priorities, designing, implementation and evaluation of the malaria control operations.

2. Improving the knowledge of the participants in the fundamentals of entomology, parasitology, computers, statistics and epidemiology.

This course included 350 hours of theoretical and practical sessions based on the timetable for the international course. We would like to include that the international course of “malaria program planning and management” will be organized from 20 August to 21 October in Bandar Abbas. The interested participants are referred to the site for more information.

3. In order to increase the knowledge of the community the educational program for the students implemented in three provinces of Sistan and Baluchistan, Kerman and Hormozgan in collaboration of the Ministry of Education in 2001-2002. 140,000 students at high school and junior high school levels from 600 training centers were trained on malaria prevention, individual preventive methods and the signs and symptoms of malaria. The students were asked to transfer the following messages to their families:

c.       Malaria is transferred via mosquito bite;

d.      The most important sign of malaria is fever and the patient should refer immediately to the malaria lab;

e.       The best way for preventing malaria is application of bed nets and other individual protection measures;

f.        Collaborate with the health workers in drying up the ponds and residual spraying.

There were also different competitions among the students such as drawing, article writing and writing stories. The winners received their prizes and samples were sent to the WHO office. This activity will also continue to cover all districts in those areas.

The students were also asked to refer urgently any family member including himself or herself or a relative who shows the signs of malaria to the malaria lab.

4. The decrease of malaria cases in Iran has been significant in the past 10 years. API has declined from 1.45 /1000 in 1990 to 0.33 /1000 in 2001. Percent of Falciparum cases has declined from 50% to 11%. However, the trend of the disease has changed. Incidence of active foci in Boushehr, Ardebil and Fars, in which the disease was controlled for long periods and also influx of the Refugees, who caused development of new foci are examples.