Kalahandi district is now witnessing an alarming rise in malaria cases.
As per data of the last four years of malaria wing of the Health Department, 2,35,041 blood samples were tested for malaria in 2009 in the district. The number was 2,56,191 in 2010, 2,40,715 in 2011 and 1,46,485 till July this year.
From these samples, 24,612 were found positive for malaria and of them, 21,547 were detected to be infected with Plasmodium Falciparum (PF) in 2009. Likewise in 2010, 26,721 were tested positive of which 23,332 were found having PF. In 2011, 20,932 cases were found positive with 18,497 cases having PF infection. This year till July, 9,319 cases were found positive for malaria with 8,444 having PF.
The number of malaria-related deaths were 38 in 2010, 17 in 2011 and 11 this year till date.
Apparently, Plasmodium Falciparum is the Plasmodium species responsible for the majority of malaria cases here. The three less common and less dangerous Plasmodium species are - P ovale, P malariae and P vivax.
This high incidence of malaria is being attributed to lack of medical intervention, unclean environment which favours mosquito breeding and absence of awareness among people, particularly tribals, who live in inaccessible pockets of the district.
As per a six-month survey by a local voluntary organisation, DAPTA, the problem is acute in tribal-infested areas of Lanjigarh and Thuamul Rampur blocks.
The study was conducted among children up to 5 years of age in 16 tribal villages of Lanjigarh block and 14 of the adjoining Bhawanipatna block.
It was conducted among 929 children covering 11,178 households. According to the report, in the 16 villages which are mostly inhabited by Kutia Kondh tribe, from among 409 blood samples, 353 were found to be malaria positive.
Consultant for National Vector Borne Disease Control Programme (NVBDCP) for Kalahandi, Santosh Bag, said this data of malaria incidence is based on reports available from grassroots level workers like ASHA Karmis and health staff. “If a proper survey is conducted, the figure will be much higher,” he added.
The official further added that this year, 1,94,280 LLIN (long lasting insecticidal nets) have been supplied to people in five blocks of Bhawanipatna, Jaipatana, Junagarh, Kalampur and Karlamunda. “We have requested for more LLIN mosquito nets for the district,” he said.