Lord Oramasked Her Majesty's Government:
What their policy is towards the eradication of malaria and whether they allocate specific funds for this purpose to avoid the risk of more travellers returning to Britain with the disease.
§ The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of Health and Social Security (Baroness Trumpington)A leaflet,Protect Your Health Abroad (SA 35), is published by the department and offers advice on the risk from malaria in certain countries and on prophylactic treatment. It is widely available through social security offices and travel agents, and is also reproduced on Prestel. The leaflet provides the telephone number of the Malaria Reference Laboratory, which is supported by departmental funds to give an advisory service to doctors and members of the public.
In addition, surveys are carried out of returning travellers on the advice they have received and whether they have complied. The International Passenger Survey, to he carried out next year by the Office of Population Censuses and Surveys, will include questions on malaria prophylaxis.