Mysuru to be Malaria-free by 2020

Mysuru:  Marking ‘World Malaria Day-2019’, the Department of Health and Family Welfare and District Vector-Borne Diseases Control Office had organised an awareness rally on Malaria eradication in city on Apr.25 with the theme ‘Zero Malaria Starts With Me.’

Over 100 nursing students and officers and staff of the organising Departments took part in the rally carrying placards with meaningful messages on eradication of Malaria.

The rally was flagged off by DHO Dr. R. Venkatesh at the Primary Health Centre (PHC) in Rajendranagar which passed through Kuri Mandi Circle and Rajendranagar Circle before returning to the starting point.

Speaking on the occasion, Dr. Venkatesh said that Malaria was under total control in the district and the mission is to bring it to zero level of cases.

Malaria-free by 2020

With the district reporting nil cases of Malaria for the last two years, the Health Department is hopeful of making the district Malaria-free by 2020.

“The Health Department officials had collected blood samples of 1.47 lakh people till the date, but no positive cases have been reported. Similarly, the authorities had tested 5.56 lakh blood samples in 2017 and 6.16 samples in 2018 and no positive cases were reported,” said District Vector-Borne Diseases Control Officer Dr. S. Chidambara, who also spoke on the occasion.

According to available statistics, 77 cases of Malaria were reported in 2015-16. Of 4.6 lakh samples tested in 2015, 34 were positive and 43 cases were positive among 4.70 lakh samples tested in 2016. However, no deaths due to Malaria were reported since 2012.

If no cases were reported, the district will be declared as Malaria-free by 2020, according to the authorities. Several rounds of awareness drive and on time response has helped in eradicating the disease.

The Department had conducted programmes such as Malaria Clinic, an educative programme, they said.

District Family Welfare Officer Dr. Sirajuddin, District Cholera Control Officer Dr. Umesh, District Surveillance Officer Dr. Kusuma, RCH Officer Dr. Ravi and PHC Medical Officer Dr. Soumya were present.