15 CRPF jawans in RIMS with malaria, dengue

RANCHI: Though the paramilitary personnel deployed for poll duties across Jharkhand managed to ward off their greatest threat ofMaoists so far, another of its prime enemies, malaria has taken several in its clutches.
As many as 25 Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) and Border Security Force (BSF) personnel have contracted malaria across constituencies while two of them were detected with life-threatening dengue.
Almost 15 CRPF jawans have been admitted to the Rajendra Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS) in Ranchi since the completion of the first and second phase of election on November 25 and December 2. Two of them have tested positive for deadly dengue.
Six Special Task Force (STF) jawans who were mostly posted in Sukurhuttu village in Kanke assembly constituency that voted on December 9 were admitted to Rims with malaria on Sunday. As many as four jawans who were deployed in Tundi block of Jharkhand, were admitted to Pataliputra Medical College and Hospital (PMCH) in Dhanbad after they complained of high fever. Tundi voted during the fourth phase held on December 14.
Rims doctors were staring at a complex cerebral infection in some patients but were relieved to have the situation under control. “In aggregate 48 Malaria patients were admitted of which 15 were jawans. Most have left the facility after treatment and the handful who remain are recovering fast,” Rims superintendent Dr. Kumari Vasundhara said on Tuesday.
While the infected jawans blamed it on lack of quality drinking water in the areas, malaria, a perennial problem in the state, has remained a cause for worry for the commanding officers of 55,000 odd personnel.
Jawans were also handed out ointments to repel mosquitoes. Several jawans contracted malaria during Lok Sabha polls held early this year. Rims alone received four cases of dengue during the month long poll season but no deaths were reported.
The infected jawans blamed it on lack of quality drinking water in the areas. Malaria, a perennial problem, has been a cause for worry for the commanding officers of 55,000 odd personnel.