Malaria claims 15 lives in Mizoram

Aizawl, June 7 (UNI) With the death of one more person at the district civil hospital here today, the number of malaria-related deaths in Mizoram has risen to 15.

According to state Health Commissioner Labiakmawia Khiangte, the number of malaria deaths between January to April was 14 as against 26 and nine during the same period in 2005 and 2004 respectively.

However, the official report for May is yet to be received.

The killer disease has claimed 74 lives in 2005 and 72 in 2004.

Health officials blamed ''negligence'' on the part of the victims as the cause of the deaths.

''The department has done all it could do, including spraying of DDT, providing mosquito nets soaked in anti-malaria medicine and free medicines from drug distribution centres. What we need is a little bit of public co-operation,'' they said.

Health&Family joint director Dr Lalkailiani lamented that the 1340-odd drug distribution centres in the state were not being utilised by the general public.

''Most of the malaria victims were found to be those, who refused to let their homes be sprayed with DDT and who ignored soaked mosquito nets'', the joint director blamed.

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