BHUBANESWAR: Odisha Government has decided to initiate focused actions in nine districts which contribute more than 90 per cent of the total malaria cases reported in the State.
At the State technical task force-cum-review meeting chaired by Health and Family Welfare Secretary Dr Pramod Meherda here on Friday, officials were asked to intensify malaria control activities and improve programme management. It has been decided to identify villages located under 35 community health centres (CHCs) from where more cases are being reported and to strengthen monitoring and supervision activities.
“District health officials have been asked to follow up each positive case for complete radical treatment by using patient card and lay stress on proper use and maintenance of Long-Lasting Insecticidal Nets (LLINs) in the community,” Dr Meherda said.
The Health Department has also decided to carry out entomological studies in high case reporting areas to ascertain the vector behaviour and assess the insecticide efficacy of LLINs.
Health officials have been directed to take help of research institute like Vector Control Research Centre (VCRC) of Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) to improve case management. It has also been decided to monitor daily reporting of cases and supervision from district and State levels and cover the priority villages under indoor residual spraying (IRS).
The decisions were taken after July reported 166 per cent rise in malaria cases in comparison to June. Of the 30 districts, Malkangiri, Koraput, Rayagada, Nabarangpur, Kalahandi, Kandhamal, Gajapati, Ganjam and Sundargarh contributed 91 per cent of the cases.
On Monday, a report titled ‘Malaria measures bite dust as cases rise 3-fold in State’ was published in The New Indian Express highlighting lackadaisical monitoring of malaria control measures by officials entrusted with the task.