This story is from April 26, 2015

Malaria continues to sting Keonjhar, situation alarming

While the world is observing World Malaria Day on Saturday, the killer disease continues to spread wings in predominantly tribal Keonjhar district.
Malaria continues to sting Keonjhar, situation alarming
KEONJHAR: While the world is observing World Malaria Day on Saturday, the killer disease continues to spread wings in predominantly tribal Keonjhar district.
The health department claimed four persons died of malaria in 2014, but unofficially the number would be much more as many deaths in remote areas go unnoticed. Officially, malaria claimed two lives in 2013 and three in 2012.
In 2014, out of 3,54,040 blood samples collected, 27,822 were detected malaria positive.

In 2013, of 3,14,193 blood samples, malaria virus was detected in 17,134.
Free medicines and medicated mosquito net elude people. Debananda Mohanta, a malaria patient of Jajapasi village under Champua block, said, "I am suffering from malaria for last one month. I have received neither free medicine nor medicated mosquito net."
Unused mines and quarries, garbage dumps and clogged drains are breeding grounds of mosquitoes and there is no dearth of such unhygienic surroundings in the district.

Official sources said more than 2,000 villages are categorized high-risk. According a health official, non-supply of medicated mosquito nets since 2012 and lack of insecticide spray and fogging in malaria-prone area are the main causes of rise in malaria cases.
"Many malaria deaths in hilly and remote villages go unreported due to lack of awareness and absence of medical facilities," said U N Barik, a retired doctor.
District malaria officer Nirmal Kumar Naik said, "Regular checking of blood samples of those suffering from fever is done to detect malaria. We are providing free medicines to patients through accredited social health activists. In high-risk village, we are sprinkling insecticide and distributing mosquito nets among people."
"Late detection and late admission of malaria patients to hospitals are causing more casualties," Naik said.
Keonjhar got the ignominious tag of malaria-sensitive district after 199 deaths were reported in 2000. There after crores of rupees have been spent through different projects to check malaria.
After implementation of National Malaria Eradication Programme and Enhanced Malaria Eradication Programme, National Vector Borne Disease Control Programme is being executed in the district to check the disease.
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