Malaria threat to BSF in Tripura

Agartala, May 22 (UNI) The Border Security Force (BSF) jawans, posted in the remote areas of Tripura, are now bogged down with the threat posed by the malaria spreading Anopheles mosquitoes.

The force had already lost eight men to malaria while 12,000 were detected as carrier of Plasmodium Falciparum (PF).

The jawans posted in almost 80 per cent of 790 Border Outpost (BOP) were already effected by malaria.

The BSF had identified four BOPs as malaria-prone areas.

Meanwhile, Tripura Health officials suggested hospital authorities to make malaria test mandatory for all patients even in general medicine department.

State's Malaria Officer Dr R K Dhar said about 20 cases of malaria death were reported in the state during the last fortnight and Tripura government has pressed helicopters into service for transporting doctors and medicines to far-flung areas.

Dr Dhar said 23 special medical teams were sent to hilly locations of the two sub-divisions. ''Special outdoors were opened with specialist doctors in all sub-divisional hospitals,'' he added.

Two helicopters were kept for carrying doctors and medical consignments to interior locations of Gandacherra and Kanchanpur sub-divisions from Agartala, he informed.

Central Drug Research Institute (CDRI) categorised Tripura as Chloroquine (malaria drug) resistant and the state is using Salpha Pyramethamine combination, a second-generation anti-malaria drug, to combat the disease.

CDRI made it clear that Chloroquine has already become inactive for long-suffering patients and new chemoprophylaxis drugs have been suggested as an immediate measure, he added.

UNI