Daijiworld News Network- Mangalore (AF)

Mangalore, May 5: The malaria control drive in the city has received a major setback with the Builders Association of India withdrawing their staff and vehicles they had provided for the drive.

In a letter sent to the corporation commissioner, the association said that they were forced to take this step as they were not making enough profit to contribute to the malaria drive and that they would recommence service once the financial situation improved.

The first malaria drive in the city, dating back to 1992, was launched under the aegis of Malaria Control Action Committee led by Dr Srinivas Kakkilaya and Dr Shantaram Baliga. The disease was kept under control for a few years but with the increase in constructions in the city, malaria cases also showed an increase, with around 20,000 cases reported in 1999-2000 alone.

The construction workers from Bijapur, Davangere and Bellary were considered the main cause for this increase, and construction sites became breeding ground for malaria parasites. Following a complaint about this, the Builders Association came forward to join hands with the corporation and launched a mobile team which paid a visit to the construction sites every week. The efforts bore fruit and malaria cases in the city gradually decreased.

The withdrawal is a fatal blow to the efforts and the impact of the drive will be reduced to half, according to the health department of the corporation.