Vanuatu

Situated in Melanesia, Vanuatu became a signatory of the APLMA roadmap in 2018. Vanuatu reduced its malaria burden to fewer than 500 cases in 2020; however, since then, malaria incidence has increased to 2,261 in 2023 due to factors related to climate change, damaged healthcare facilities during natural disasters, and population migration across high to moderate to low endemic areas. Ensuring treatment compliance for Vivax cases, human resource constraints, and accessing remote villages also remain challenging.  

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Vanuatu plans to implement a malaria risk stratification and intensification approach. This includes mass screening using rapid diagnostic tests (RDTs) in identified at-risk villages and communities and providing treatment for confirmed cases with Artemisinin-based Combination Therapy (ACT) and Primaquine. Additionally, there are plans to conduct indoor residual spraying and continuous distribution of long-lasting insecticidal nets (LLINs) in identified at-risk areas.

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Currently, among the countries contributing 1% to the Asia Pacific’s malaria burden, Vanuatu aims to eliminate malaria by 2030.

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