JOIN USMalaria cases on the rise in Dakshina Kannada
The malaria cases in Dakshina Kannada district have been on the rise in a significant manner as a total of 1,816 cases have been reported this year till April. Out of the 1,816 cases, 1,571 cases were reported in Mangalore city limits alone. Last year, in the same period, a total of 1,361 cases were reported.
It may be noted here that a total of 9,024 malaria cases have been reported in the district in the last nine years, out of which, more than 90 per cent of the cases have been reported in the city limits.
Following the rise in number of cases, the Joint Director of National Vector Born Diseases Control Programme (NVBDCP) has initiated the Urban Malaria Control Programme exclusively for Mangalore city. The Mangalore City Corporation will be implementing the programme with the technical and logistic support from the District Vector Born Diseases Control Officer.
Speaking to Deccan Herald, District Vector Born Diseases Control Officer Dr Arun Kumar said that the climate in Mangalore is optimum for anopheles mosquitoes to grow. “As a number of construction activities are going on in Mangalore, the number of malaria cases too are on the rise,” he said and added that on an average, 18.4 per cent of malaria cases are reported from construction sites. At the same time, the labourers who are coming from other states also bring the disease to the city,” he said.
Problem in MCC
Stating that the MCC has been facing man power crisis as far as the effective implementation of the control programme is concerned, Kumar said that the MCC will soon recruit multi-purpose workers (MPW) and by June, the action plan will be implemented. Incidentally, ‘Anti-Malaria Month’ is observed in the month of June.
Interestingly, the rate of malarial cases is very less in rural areas of the district, thanks to the support from NRHM (National Rural Health Mission). Even though the City areas do not come under the purview of NRHM, it has been extending its services to Urban Malaria Control Programme. At the same time, the Regional Office for Health, Bangalore, is also supporting the malaria control programme.
NVBDCP has already conducted many awareness programmes among students and officials in this regard. “We are focusing on paramedical students who can effectively contribute their service during their community service period,” said Dr Arun Kumar.
Reporting system
Mangalore has an efficient reporting system of malaria cases. There are nine centers in City run by the Government to detect malaria cases. Private medical colleges in City are also having diagnostic centers. In Mangalore City Corporation building, a microscopic center is working in detect malaria cases.
“The immediate target of NVBDCP is to reduce the malarial cases by 20 to 50 per cent, once the programme is implemented in total,” the District NVBDC Officer said.
Cases reported
Year No of cases
2003 6,344
2004 11,691
2005 16,154
2006 12,998
2007 8,476
2008 6,267
2009 5,850
2010 7,025
2011 6,418
(Source: District Surveillance Office)