Malaria alert sounded in Mizoram

Aizawl, Jul 20 (UNI) Following sudden reports of widespread malaria in different parts of the state, the Mizoram government has instructed the health department to take measures on a war foot to control the disease.

Following the instructions, the health department has despatched a group medical team across the state where malaria cases were reported.

Apart from this the department also stepped up the on-going state-wide anti malaria campaign.

The Joint director of health (Malaria) Dr Lalkailiani today said that the department had sponsored medical teams to undertake supervisory visits to various places.

The team had so far visited more than 100 villages, she added.

Health Multipurpose Workers (HMWs) under the health department have been undertaking house-to-house visits to locate and identify persons suffering from the disease.

HMWs have been issuing anti-malaria medicines free of cost to those suspected of suffering from malaria.

HMWs have also been directed by the government to cover all villages in the state within this month.

According to the health department, apart from the HMWs work, anti-malaria drug distribution centres had been established at about 1500 place in the state.

Also, malaria fever treatment depots have been set up at 214 places in the region.

According to the hospital sources from January till June this year, about 70 people had already succumbed to the disease and out of the total, 30 people had died in the Aizawl district civil hospital alone.

UNI SNR PL SS1255