Via Google News, an AFP report: Cambodians fight malaria with the push of a button. Excerpt:
Cambodian villagers armed with a little medical know-how -- and their mobile telephones -- are the nation's new foot soldiers in the fight against drug-resistant malaria.
In the small village of Phnom Dambang near the Thai border, locals know that early detection and treatment is crucial to containing the virulent strain of the mosquito-borne disease that is blighting the region.
"The malaria here... can kill people in a short period of time if we don't have the right treatment," said Long Vuthy, whose home doubles as a walk-in clinic. The village is dotted with bright yellow signs emblazoned with pictures of mosquitoes, warning that the disease is prevalent in the area.
Vuthy, 41, who is also the chief of the village in Pailin province -- considered to be at the epicentre of drug-resistant malaria in Cambodia -- is one of more than 3,000 volunteer malaria workers in the country.
They diagnose the disease with a quick blood test and provide treatment, free of charge, in remote parts of the impoverished nation, where access to health services can be difficult.
Under a new pilot project, he is now also using a dedicated text message service to report new cases, allowing health experts to monitor and respond to patients' needs in real time.
