NELLORE: Even though the government has set a target for officials to conduct malaria test for every 10 persons among a population of 1,000, there are not enough kits to carry out the tests in rural areas of the district.
Medical officials are using rapid diagnostic test (RDT) instead of slides which give accurate results. The medical department needs around 30,000 slides to conduct malaria tests across the district in view of growing number of people suffering from seasonal diseases.
Residents especially in Rapur mandal have been affected by malaria, while people in Seetharamapuram mandal, Marripadu, Duttalur and Udayagiri have been hit by viral fevers due to poor sanitary conditions in their villages for the last one week.
Nearly, 2,000 patients suffering from malaria and viral fevers have visited private hospitals in the city. Even though the panchayats and medical department have sufficient funds, authorities have failed to make concerted efforts to prevent the spread of viral fevers in rural areas.
Speaking to Express, district malaria control officer Venugopal said they were screening patients. “We have formed special teams and requested the medical department to send slides to conduct malaria tests across the district. We have been collecting blood samples for rapid diagnostic test,” he said.