Malaria menace continues unabated

​Vijayawada: Malaria menace continues unabated in Krishna district though anti-larva drive is going on under the National Vector Borne Disease Control Programme (NVBDCP). Thirty two malaria cases were reported till Wednesday. Cases registered during the year 2016 were 704 out of which 15 cases were plasmodium falciparum. If neglected, this kind of malaria leads to cerebral malaria and patient dips into coma.

The number of malaria cases reported during 2015 were 521 (seven falciparum cases) preceded by 411 cases (26 falciparum) during 2014. The second category of cases can be called plasmodium vivax.

Sources in the malaria department said that plasmodium falciparum malaria cases are being reported from Bhramarambapuram, Mallikharjunapet and Kothapet. They are of the view that the presence of disease was due to migration of workers from the Agency areas.

Hundreds of workers and mutha workers visit Vijayawada for livelihood. When they sleep in the same room, along with healthy persons, the mosquito bite causes spread of the disease, they revealed.

Malaria is also being reported from Urmilanagar, Jojinagar, Ramarajyanagar, HB Colony, Karakatta, Padiveedhi and other areas in One Town area.

While the Vijayawada Municipal Corporation (VMC) is taking anti-larva and fogging to contain spread of disease, the malaria department has been deputing field staff (health assistants) to identify the cases.

In a bid to ensure mosquito eradication, recently the state government launched ‘Domalapai Dandayatra’ programme whose purpose is to create awareness among the people on malaria.

According to sources in VMC, about 300 workers are involved in the mosquito eradication exercise. The city has been divided into six circles. Water stagnating points, culverts are being covered with anti-larva spraying and fogging to kill mosquitoes.

As far as field work by malaria department is concerned, staff shortage is haunting the malaria control. Eleven out of 16 microscopy centres have been monitored by the district malaria officer. Similarly, 41 contract employees (health assistants) have been engaged in door-to-door fever surveillance under the guidance of 24 health supervisors.

Criticising the government for overburdening, a health assistant said that as per the guidelines, for every 10,000 persons one health assistant is necessary. The existing staff cannot reach the entire city and lagging behind in gaining control over malaria which is on the rise when one looks at the official figures, he added.

In spite of regular fogging and anti-larval measures, people in the city have been spending sleepless nights as mosquito repellents such as liquids and coils fail to fight the mosquitoes. The entire city is facing the problem of mosquitoes.

By: Noor Shaik