Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru

Mangaluru, Jan 23: It is not good news for Mangaluru and Dakshina Kannada. A shocking data regarding Dakshina Kannada has been revealed now. The contribution of the district in the total Malaria cases reported in Karnataka is a whopping 57 percent, and 88 percent of these cases are reported in Mangaluru city alone.

This was revealed by Dr Prakash, state nodal officer related to malaria control, in a meeting presided over by deputy commissioner A B Ibrahim here on Thursday January 22.

Out of the 14,569 malaria cases reported in the state, 8,240 cases were reported in Dakshina Kannada and 1,639 cases in Udupi district in 2014. This gives them the shares of 57 percent and 11 percent respectively in the state.

Percentage of Malaria cases in Dakshina Kannada in the past:

Year - Percentage

2006 - 21%
2007 - 18%
2008 - 13%
2009 - 16%
2010 - 16%
2011 - 26%
2012 - 38%
2013 - 43%
2014 - 57%

As many as 7,313 malaria cases were reported in Mangaluru city and 880 cases were reported from other parts of the district in 2014.

Mangaluru taluk - 485, Bantwal taluk - 194, Beltangady taluk - 82, Puttur taluk - 105, Sulla taluk 14 are the taluk-wise figures.

Two confirmed malaria related deaths took place in the district in 2014. As many as 17 deaths were suspected to have occurred due to malaria.

Dr Prakash said special preference will be given to the coastal districts in future in controlling malaria.

Migrant workers

Malaria is more prevalent among the migrant workers from Meghalaya, Nagaland, and Odisha and also from other states. These workers are mainly involved in construction work. Dr Prakash advised that more measures should be taken at the construction sites to control the spread of malaria.

DC calls for action

Deputy commissioner asked the officers if a district like Bagalkote can contain malaria, why Mangaluru was lagging behind. He then instructed the departments concerned to come with a game plan to contain the same within ten days after internal consultations. The meeting took note of suggestions given by social workers like Suresh Shetty and Joseph D’Souza.

District health officer Dr Ramakrishna Rao, Udupi district family health officer Dr Ramachandra Bayary, MCC commissioner Hephziba Korlapati and Dr Rajeshwari from Wenlock hospital were present in the meeting.