BHUBANESWAR: Odisha may be a leader in reducing malaria cases in India since 2016, but a three-fold rise in malaria positive cases in the last one month has kept the health officials on tenterhooks. The State, which had recorded 2,714 malaria positive cases in June, reported a whopping 7,236 cases in July. The number of positive cases in May was 2,584. With most of the cases reported from high incidence districts like Malkangiri and Rayagada, the fight against malaria seems to have run out of steam in the region which had witnessed remarkable progress in the last couple of years.
While Malkangiri contributed 2,239 cases in July, 1,023 cases were recorded in Rayagada. Last year, both the districts had registered remarkable control of the disease following successful interventions like Durgama Anchalare Malaria Nirakaran (DAMaN), a malaria control programme. Though there has been an overall decline of 49 per cent in 2019 compared to 2018, the number of cases in high burden districts is higher than the incidence reported in July last year.
While health workers engaged in malaria-prone areas put the blame on lack of coordination among officials for the spike in cases, complacency seems to be the factor that resulted in lackadaisical monitoring of malaria control measures by officials entrusted with the task.“It is worrisome when we see the rise in malaria cases this year. I had alerted officials since April and urged them not to be complacent. But they did not pay heed,” said a malariologist on condition of anonymity.
Health authorities, however, attributed the rise in cases to long summer, hot humid climate and less use of Long-Lasting Insecticidal Nets (LLINs) during the beginning of transmission months. Additional Director of National Vector-Borne Disease Control Programme (NVBDCP), Odisha Dr Prameela Baral admitted that July witnessed a rise in cases but the number was 30 per cent less than that of July last year.
She blamed people for not using LLINs regularly or washing the nets. “Despite repeated reminders, tribals continue to wash nets for various reasons and dry those under the sun. Repeated washing of nets removes insecticide making those less effective. Besides, people are reluctant to take the second dose of primaquine in cases of plasmodium vivax malaria, helping its transmission,” she said.
Meanwhile, the State Government has decided to replace LLINs in high prevalent districts including Malkangiri, Rayagada, Gajapati, Kandhamal, Koraput, Kalahandi, Nabarangpur, Sundargarh and Ganjam which had recorded more than 1,000 cases last year.
“We have urged the Centre to provide 1.13 crore nets for the purpose. Stress is also being laid on source reduction, fogging and door-to-door awareness drive,” Dr Baral added. The State has recorded 21,209 positive cases and three deaths from January to July this year compared to 42,317 cases during the corresponding period last year.