THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: With a view to making the state ‘malaria free’, the Health Department will embark on a Malaria Prevention Campaign from Wednesday. The state-level inauguration of the campaign will be carried out by Health Minister K K Shylaja at Olympia Chambers Hall at Chandrasekharan Nair Stadium, here at 10.30 am. According to the department, the campaign aims to eradicate malaria from the state by 2020.
“The campaign is being launched with the help of departments like Local Self Government, Health, Labour, Fisheries, Social Justice and Arogya Keralam. The aim is such that by 2020 malaria will be eliminated from the state. The department also aims to get rid of malaria-related casualties in the state by 2018,” reads a statement from the Health Department.
At the same time, the data available with the Health Department says that for the past several years the number of malaria-affected cases being reported in the state is between 1,000 to 2,000. Whereas the casualties being reported are two or three persons. Earlier, the Central Government in response to Global Technical Strategy of World Health Organisation (WHO) has called for malaria elimination by 2030. Later, a National Framework for Malaria Elimination (2016-2030) and a National Strategic Plan 2017-2022 have been drafted in consultation with the States/Union Territories.
According to the Union Health Ministry, malaria surveillance is based on the diagnosis by rapid diagnostics and malaria microscopy. While directing all states/UTs to promote early diagnosis and prompt treatment and take appropriate vector control measures, including indoor residual spray and distribution of Long Lasting Insecticide Impregnated Nets (LLINs), advisories were also being issued from time to time to States/UTs before and during the transmission season for taking appropriate measures to keep malaria cases under check and avert deaths.