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Daijiworld Media Network - Mangalore (MD)

Mangalore, Aug 19: Additional director of the department of health and family welfare Dr Prakash ordered the district health department to convene a meeting with the builders of the city to curb malaria menace.

He was addressing the meeting convened to analyze the progress in prevention of malaria in Mangalore and Udupi districts at the conference hall of the DC office on Tuesday August 19.

Addressing the health department officials of both the districts he said, “88% of the total malaria cases in the state are from Dakshina Kannada and Udupi districts. The main reason for such a large number is increase in the construction sites which provide sources for the mosquitos to breed."

He said that the district health department of both the districts should convene a meeting with the builders inorder to motivate them to provide good sanitary facilities to the construction workers and destroy the breeding sources.

“Prior to the meeting the health officials should make a list of all the builders along with the addresses and make sure that every builder is present in the meeting. The construction site workers are the transmitters of this disease. If mosquito nets and other facilities are provided to them, malaria can be prevented and if the builders come forward then the government too will help them in this regard,” he added.

He said that there was a need to have a database of the labourers in both the districts.

"The motion of the labourers along with the list of the places they visit has to be tracked. The district health department should seek help of the labour department to do so,” he said.

Speaking about the statistics he pointed out that in 2014, 55% of the total malaria cases have been reported from DK district while Udupi contributes with 33%. After 1996 the number of cases was decreasing and this year it has seen a drastic increase which is dangerous.

Talking about the prevention of the disease he said, “Our goal is to reduce malaria morbidity and prevent deaths due to malaria in the urban areas of Mangalore and Udupi. We will focus on the establishment of ‘Malaria Detection and Treatment centres’ around the construction sites or labour aggregated areas, formation of ‘Fever Surveillance teams’, provision of rapid diagnostic test kits wherever microscopic centres are not feasible and availability of all anti-malaria drugs."

“Health supervisors from district and corporation will be made responsible with demarkerd area with a time schedule so as to cover each ward and area of incidence of malaria or dengue on fortnightly basis," he added.

To achieve the goals, Dr Prakash suggested some activities.

“There should be a better co-ordination between the corporation and the district health office. Conducting review periodically under the chairmanship of the deputy commissioner or chief executive officer is must. Monthly or bi-monthly meetings should be organized by the respective local bodies," he said.

DC A B Ibrahim, district surgeon Rajeshwari Devi, head of malaria research wing of Indian Council for Medical Reasearch Dr Ghosh were present at the occasion.