Malaria keeps claiming lives in Mizoram

Aizawl, May 24 (UNI) Despite tireless efforts by the state's health department, the deadly malaria virus still thrives in Mizoram, claiming more lives in the state this year, compared to last year.

''The number of malarial deaths between January and April this year exceeds that of last year's,'' official sources said here today.

''While 14 people lost their lives to malaria during January-April period last year, the number of malarial deaths during the same period of this year was 19,'' official sources here added.

Health officials, who have long been trying hard to eradicate malaria, blamed the public for not being cooperative enough in the fight against the mosquito-borne virus.

''While we have been making efforts to spray DDT in every household, there are some householders who don't want their houses sprayed with DDT. There are also others who fail to take our advice to sleep only under mosquito nets soaked with anti-malaria solution (K Othrime) in their jhum huts.

These are some of the main reasons why malarial death toll is still high,'' said joint director (malaria) Dr Lalkailiani. In Aizawl, about 50 per cent of the total householders still refused to get their houses sprayed with DDT.

However, most of the malarial deaths occurred in rural areas where health facilities are poor.

The Health department has set up 1,482 drug distribution centers across the state where anti-malaria drugs for adult and minors are available around the clock at free of cost.

Health officials have advised the people to take the three-day anti-malaria drugs available from any DDC for any fever, particularly for those who are in remote places where blood test is not easily available.

May-October is the period when malaria strikes the hardest, and people should be particularly cautious during this period, officials have urged. The Health department is to launch a second phase of state-wide spraying of DDT from July, and appealed for public co-operation.

Apart from DDT spray, the Health department has embarked on extensive public awareness campaign, one of which is the much-watched Look-Alike Contest, a reality TV show being aired from Zonet cable network.

UNI