China's Ministry of Health on Monday announced the establishment of demonstration zones for the prevention and control of parasitic diseases in 10 provinces and cities.

 

The demonstration zones include eight for geohelminths control in Guizhou, Hainan, Jiangxi, Anhui, Hunan, Yunnan, Guangxi and Sichuan, and two for liver fluke control in Guangdong and Heilongjiang.

 

The aim of the demonstration zones is to reduce the infection rate of parasitic diseases in rural regions by raising public awareness of prevention, and developing hygienic eating habits.

 

Rural drinking water systems and public toilets in the demonstration zones will also be renovated.

 

Women and children are most under threat from infections caused by parasites such as hookworm, pinworm, roundworm, tapeworm.

 

Most sufferers live in underdeveloped western China or minority areas.

 

These diseases usually occur in children, causing malnutrition, anemia and stunted growth, which make them vulnerable to other diseases.

 

According to 1999 World Health Organization health report, geohelminths and schistosomiasis, two major parasitic diseases, accounted for more than 40 percent of total treatment costs globally.

 

It is estimated that about 129 million Chinese are infected with geohelminths, 12.49 million with clonorchis (liver fluke), 550,000 with tapeworm and 380,000 with echinococcosis (hydatids).

 

In a 10-year plan to fight parasitic diseases issued in March, the ministry set a goal of reducing infection rates of parasitic diseases by 40 percent by 2010 and by 60 percent by 2015.

 

(Xinhua News Agency August 1, 2006)