Meghalaya govt assures to come with factual figure on Malaria death

Shillong, Dec 13 (UNI) Meghalaya's Health and Family Welfare Minister Elstone D Marak today assured the state assembly to send a team of doctors to find out the factual figure of malaria deaths in state's West Khasi Hills district.

His assurance came after two ruling members from West Khasi Hills - Hopingstone Lyngdoh and Boldness Nongum - did not agree with the figure of 11 malaria deaths in West Khasi Hills district.

''The malaria death in West Khasi Hills is higher than what the minister has informed us,'' veteran HSPDP legislator said.

So far, Mr Lyngdoh said that 29 people in Umiong village (West Khasi Hills district) have died of Malaria, adding that 30 to 40 people are still suffering from this mosquito-borne disease there.

Refusing to accept the minister's reply, Congress legislator Mr Boldness Nongum said that in his constituency itself there are more than 11 people died of malaria.

Earlier, Mr Marak replying to a query asked by Mihsalan Suchiang of United Democratic Party said that the number of malaria deaths in the seven districts are- West Khasi Hills district- 11, Jaintia Hills district- 24, West Garo Hills district- 25, South Garo Hills district -9, East Garo Hills district-20, Ri-Bhoi district-33 and East Khasi Hills district-10.

Admitting that the environment in the state is conducive to the breeding of mosquitoes carrying the P.F strain of Malaria, the minister said the government had taken steps to control the spread of the diseases by opening up of Drugs Distribution Centre and Fever Treatment Depot, intensive surveillance, mass single dose radical treatment and blood survey and spraying of DDT.

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