Malaria control prog to be strengthened in 45 endemic districts

By Staff
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Google Oneindia News

New Delhi, Apr 11 (UNI) In view of the resurgence of malaria, the government is planning to launch a concerted malaria control programme in 45 highly endemic districts of the country and strengthen the surveillance mechanism for all vector borne diseases.

Addressing a meeting of the District Collectors from 45 high malaria endemic districts in eleven States, Health Minister Anbumani Ramadoss said strategic Action Plans would be made for individual blocks of each district level for effective prevention and control of malaria in the endemic districts.

Pointing out that in 1960s the number of malaria patients were 50,000 per year, which has gone up now to 1.8 million to two million per year with 1,140 deaths occuring per year, he said the number could be much more which could be revealed by proper surveillance system. He said prevention was a crucial aspect of malaria control.

The Minister admitted that the country was not doing well in Vector Control Programme and said steps were being taken to speed up the implementation process to check not only malaria but all vector borne diseases like dengue, Japanese Encephalitis, Chikungunia and Kala Azar.

He said immunisation programme for Japanese Encephalitis was launched in eleven district last year which has now been increased to 23 districts in the current section and lot of children have been vaccinated against the disease.

He added that Kala Azar mapping was going on in 54 endemic districts of the country.

To check the spread of Malaria and seasonal disease like dengue, pre-impregnated mosquito nets are being distributed and larva eating fishes were being put into ponds so that mosquito larva were killed.

Moreover, drugs against these diseases are also being made available, he said, adding that money was not a problem. Rapid diagnosis kits were being made available so that the disease could be identified and treated faster, he said.

UNI

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