BHAWANIPATNA: Malaria cases in the endemic regions of Kalahandi district are on the decline. Intensive surveillance, awareness drive and application of long lasting impregnated net (LLIN) have helped in checking the endemic disease in the district, particularly in tribal populated hilly areas.
According to official data available from Vector-borne Disease Centre, the declining trend has been observed in the last two years.
As per statistics, out of 3,62,899 slides tested for malaria in 2016, as many as 44,916 were positive. Of the positive cases, 39,463 were detected with Plasmodium falciparum (PF) and 5,453 with Plasmodium vivax (PV).Similarly, in 2017, as many as 31,265 positive cases were found out, of which 26,404 were PF and 4861 PV. On the other hand, till April this year, 90,835 slides were examined out of which 2,857 were positive cases. Of these, 2,272 were PF cases and 585 were PV cases.
Additional District Public Health Officer of Vector-borne Diseases Dr Jyotish Chandra Mohapatra said positive signs are due to extensive distribution of LLIN and strict surveillance. He informed that 9,30,000 LLIN were distributed in all the blocks in 2017 which helped in controlling the spread of malaria. Upgraded microscopy centres at 19 Community Health Centres (CHC) helped in tracking positive cases. Olympus Microscopes supplied by the Centre to CHCs have been of immense help, he added.
The administration is assisted by NGOs and private companies in creating awareness, detection of cases, collection of slides and providing medicines at the grassroots in interior inaccessible pockets, Dr Mohapatra informed. Spraying of DDT will start in rural areas from June 1, he said and added that a meeting in this context was held with line departments and urban local bodies. Bhawanipatna Municipality and Kesinga, Junagarh and Dharamgarh NACs heads attended the meeting which was chaired by CDMO Dr SK Tihadi. Urban local bodies were asked to clean all drains and remove garbage before monsoon so that anti-larvicidal can be sprayed.