Chizokho Vero
Kohima | June 1
With the onset of monsoon season, the state government today sounded an alert to the general public to keep strict vigil and take preventive measures against Malaria in Nagaland.
“Drugs are available in plenty. We have all arrangements. People should respond to control Malaria,” said Minister for Health & Family Welfare Dr. T.M Lotha during the observance of Anti Malaria Month here today.
Dr. Lotha made a fervent appeal to the people to respond to the preventive measures and avail various facilities being extended by the government to control Malaria in the state.
Maintaining that the complete eradication of Malaria may not be possible, the Minister said the government wanted to bring it down to some certain level so that casualty does not go up.
Stating that Malaria has become a public health concern, he urged the people to report to the medical teams whenever there is any report of Malaria case so that immediate treatment can be delivered. “Prevention of malaria should be a priority,” said Sashimeren, Director, Medical Services and opined that specific strategy should be adopted to prevent the disease.
Despite the initiation of many malaria control programmes and sophisticated equipments, Malaria still exists, for which responsibility falls on each and every individual to treat it as an important and urgent agenda, the Director added.
More effort, alert and attention should be given right from today till the end of monsoon season, said T. Limsong, IAS, Mission Director, National Rural Health Mission, Nagaland.
“We have plenty of drugs,” said Dr. R. Rose Chakhesang, State Programme Officer, NVBDCP adding that drugs have been distributed to all the districts of the state.
Various activities have been framed to mark the observance of Anti Malaria Month in June. It would create awareness campaign through AIR, Kohima and local newspapers and public awareness through billboards display, banners, posters campaign in towns and health centres.
Advocacy workshops will also be conducted at different levels. District level- 12, Town area- 42, Sub Centre- 48, Village- 84 and Inter-sectoral – 12.
Malaria camps will also be conducted in the form of mass blood slide collection and treatment, mobile malaria clinic camps and visit of schools and hostels.
Insecticides, bed-nets, treatment camps on community-owned initiatives would also be taken up.
Further, the ongoing programmes like DDT spray operation and fever surveillance will be intensified during the season, Dr. Rose added.
Plasmodium vivax Malaria and Plasmodium falciparum malaria are two types of malaria prevalent in Nagaland, source said.
