Gadchiroli April 13 (District Correspondent) It was decided in the malaria task force meeting that the measures should be planned keeping in mind the more than 4 lakh population under the jurisdiction of 27 primary health centres in the district with high prevalence of malaria considering the increasing outbreak of malaria during the monsoon.
The meeting of this task force was held at Shodhagram recently under the chairmanship of Dr. Abhay Bang, chairman of the task force. District Collector Avishyant Panda, Gates Foundation representative Dr. Amol Patil, Deputy Director of ‘SEARCH’ Dr. Supriyalakshmi Totiger, District Health Officer Dr. Pratap Shinde and District Malaria Officer Dr. Pankaj Hemke presented the measures and the current situation in the district.
In this meeting, the plan of measures was approved and sent to the state government. Bhamragad, Dhanora, Etapalli, Korchi, Aheri and Kurkheda talukas with the highest prevalence of malaria will be at the centre of these measures.
Dr. Bang said, according to the 2024 data, the average Annual Parasite Index (API) of Gadchiroli district is 5.92. The aim is to reduce this index to 1 in the next 3 years.
A separate committee has been set up to implement the measures, headed by District Collector Avishant Panda. Panda said, it is necessary to create widespread awareness about the use of mosquito nets, spraying insecticides at home and getting immediate check-ups and treatment if there is fever. Women’s self-help groups and village workers will also be involved in this work.
Malaria outbreaks are highest in the district during the monsoon, but during this period, many villages are disconnected. In such villages measures such as providing adequate medicine stock before the rains be taken, it was suggested.
Joint Director of Health Dr. B. S. Kamalapurkar, Advisor to the Chief Minister Dr. Anand Bang, Dr. Himmat Singh of the National Institute of Malaria Research, Malaria expert Dr. Altaf Lal, Former Director of the National Centre for Vector Borne Disease Control Dr. Neeraj Dhingra, Former Director of Health Services of Odisha Dr. Madan Pradhan, Principal of Nashik Training Centre Dr. Dhawal Salve, District Surgeon Dr. Madhuri Kilnake, Taluka Health Officer Dr. Manish Dhekate were also present in the meeting.
