Tura, June 25: Meghalaya health and family welfare minister, Alexander
Laloo Hek today launched the month long campaign for malaria awareness
at the state level advocacy programme here.
Meghalaya’s Garo hills region is prone to malaria.
Till May this year, the state recorded 6,161 people with malaria, of
which eight died in Garo hills. Last year, a total of 22,708 people
were detected with malaria, of which 62 died, most from Garo hills.
“The trend of malaria is declining in the state but government is
leaving no rooms to combat the disease”, said Hek.
In 2007, 98 people lost their lives detected with malaria in Garo
hills, in 2008, the figure was 31 and in 2009 the figure was 58.
“Government is extending all possible assistance to the department for
eradication of malaria with support for awareness programmes”, Hek
added.
He hoped that the advocacy meet will draw up an agenda for the month
long campaign in Garo hills.
Last four years have seen a record of 15,000 to 20,000 malaria
positive cases in Garo hills. The Garo hills region of Meghalaya has a
population of 6 lakh.
“Plasmodium falciparum is pre-dominant with 99 per cent of its
contribution to the total positive cases in Garo hills”, said Dr. B
Mawlong, a senior official of Meghalaya Vector Borne Disease Control
Society.
Other type of malaria here is Plasmodium Vivax, which occupy only 1
per cent. The transmission season is perennial with the peak season
from May to September. The region is also declared as Chloroquine
resistant area for plasmodium falciparum.
For anti-malaria programme under public private partnership agreement,
the government has engaged a catholic missionary run NGO – Bakdil.
The organisation is imparting awareness activities in village through
camps, training community volunteers, distributing free bednets,
impregnation of community owned bednets, etc.(SP News)
