DK district sees 30 pc dro in Malaria cases

Malaria cases in Dakshina Kannada district this year has come down by 30 per cent. As many as 2,434 cases have been registered till July end as against 3,512 cases registered last year.

District vector borne disease control officer Dr Arun Kumar told Deccan Herald that the Mangalore City Corporation and the district health and family welfare department had initiated awareness programmes to check the outbreak of the disease.

Vulnerable sites

Construction sites are generally a breeding ground for mosquitoes carrying malaria parasite. As construction activities are on rise in Mangalore city, these sites are vulnerable and anopheles mosquitoes mostly breed in construction sites.

Dr Arun said that Confederation of Real Estate Developers’ Associations of India (CREDAI)  is lending its support to the administration in taking measures to check the spread of disease, by constituting teams meant for the site visits.

The team visits construction sites once in 10 days to clean stagnant water on sites to destroy mosquitoes.

In association with NRHM, a team comprising 42 members, have been constituted. “We also keep a record of the infected labourers and keep a track on them on their health condition. If the labourers move to other districts, then we send a message to the respective district health office for follow up of the treatment.”

Medical colleges

Dr Arun said that the authorities have entered into a tie-up with community medical departments of medical colleges in the district, to create awareness among the general public. Malaria control centres have been identified at Jeppu, Attavar, Wenlock, Ladyhill, Kadri and Bejai.

The centre conducts field surveys by visiting houses every week and submits a report to the DHO.

“We have been successful in controlling malaria to some extent. With the consistant efforts of the department and general public ,Malaria can be controlled fully in two years,” he said.