The country has made significant progress in malaria control and is on track to meet its goal, with the recorded malaria cases declining from an estimated 462,000 in 1997 to 2,305 in 2022.

The country is implementing ‘accelerator strategies’, which aim to eliminate malaria in hard-to-reach areas and among high-risk groups who live and work in heavily forested locations that are ideal habitats for malaria mosquitoes and difficult for health services to access. In these accelerator strategies the outreach efforts by volunteer village malaria workers play an important role in fast and early diagnosis and treatment. 

Located in the southwestern part of Lao PDR, Paksong is a mountainous district of Champasak Province near the border with Thailand and Cambodia. Sisomphang, one of many village malaria workers in Lao PDR, is based in Thongkalong village and is going the extra mile to combat malaria in his community.

Sisomphang’s personal journey is intertwined with his passion for malaria and health work. Having experienced the debilitating effects of malaria first-hand, Sisomphang turned his adversity into a driving force for change. His own battle with malaria had been an unpleasant experience when he worked on a coffee plantation in the forest. His personal experience made him realize the devastating impact of malaria on his community.

“When I got sick, my family struggled because no one could work to get income. I did not have much knowledge about malaria. So, I wanted to change this and help my community prevent malaria,” he said.  

Motivated by that thought, Sisomphang applied to become a village malaria worker. Equipped with knowledge and training provided by local health authorities, Sisomphang has been contributing his efforts to support the acceleration of malaria elimination by taking a lead role in providing health education, testing, treatment, malaria surveillance, and distributing insecticidal bednets to the villagers, particularly farmers and those working in the forest.

Through his outreach, Sisomphang has sought to create a sense of urgency within the community, emphasizing the importance of preventive measures and early detection. His lived experience has become a powerful tool in his advocacy. Villagers listen intently as he speaks not as an outsider but as one of their own who has faced the same challenges. This personal connection has fostered trust, making the community more receptive to him. 

“I use my personal story to encourage the villagers to care for themselves. I encourage them to use mosquito nets and wear long sleeves and trousers when they go to the forest,” he said.