BHUBANESWAR: The Odisha government will undertake a series of programmes to intensify its fight against malaria. Health and Family Welfare Secretary Pramod Kumar Meherda has announced a ‘do or die’ approach for eliminating the vector-borne disease.
The flagship scheme DAMaN (Durgama Anchalare Malaria Nirakaran), which means elimination of malaria in inaccessible areas, will be launched in March, and Long Lasting Insecticidal Nets will be distributed from April.
Around 45,000 ASHA workers will be used for early detection of the disease and to treat patients and give them disease diagnosis kits. Since Puri, Cuttack, Khurda, Balasore, Kendrapara, Jajpur, Jagatsinghpur and Bhadrak districts reported less than one Annual Parasite Incidence per 1,000 population, malaria will be eliminated completely in the areas. Special care will be taken for pregnant women and children below five years.
“We are ready to introduce any sort of intervention in order to make the state free from malaria,” Meherda said.