DUSHANBE, November 23, Asia-Plus -- Malaria has shown downward tendency in Tajikistan, Deputy Health Minister, Ziyovuddin Afghonov, remarked at a news conference in Dushanbe on November 23 following a three-day conference on combating tropical malaria in Central Asia. 

According to him, compared to last year the malaria rate in the country has decreased by 35 percent.  Afghonov noted that nearly 30,000 cases of malaria were registered in Tajikistan in 1997.  “This year, 1,000 cases of malaria have been registered in Tajikistan, and we consider this good result,” the deputy minister said.   

He noted that that representatives from Tajikistan, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan and Afghanistan had participated in the conference’s work.  The conference focused on strategic ways to eliminate tropical malaria in the region and strengthening of border cooperation in combating and eliminating the disease.  According to Afghonov, the conference resulted in adoption of recommendations on expansion of partnership at national level and increase in financial assistance in combating malaria.