Severe malaria cases in Vietnam

Bach Mai Hospital in Vietnam has reported an increase in severe malaria cases, specifically involving the P. falciparum parasite, among individuals returning from Africa.

Initial reports highlighted critical cases involving a Vietnamese man returning from Angola and a Chinese national who had lived in Guinea. Both patients required intensive care, including mechanical ventilation and haemodialysis, to survive. To address shortages of the essential drug artesunate, the hospital coordinated with the Ministry of Health and the World Health Organization (WHO) to secure necessary doses.

Subsequent reports indicate a continuing trend of severe malaria among travelers from countries such as Angola and Nigeria. Patients have presented with life-threatening complications including septic shock, kidney failure, and liver failure. In response to the rising need, medical authorities have coordinated the emergency transport of artesunate over 1,700 km to the Ho Chi Minh City Tropical Disease Hospital to support patient treatment.