Monks to School Migrant Workers on Malaria

More than 60 monks will march across Pailin province next week in an effort to educate migrant workers on ways to protect themselves from being infected by malaria, health workers and officials said yesterday. Migrant workers are particularly at risk for malaria because they often sleep outdoors without mosquito nets and work in plantations in the evening hours when malaria-bearing mosquitoes tend to bite. They are also less likely to have antibodies needed to fight against the infection as they travel from areas of the country where malaria is less prevalent. As part of a joint project between the Ministry of Health and FHI 360, an organization that aims to improve livelihoods, the monks will spread out across the province and educate migrant workers on the importance of seeking treatment early and using mosquito nets. …