Mysuru: As part of National Malaria Prevention Month with the theme ‘End Malaria for Good,’ the District Vector-borne Diseases Control Officer had organised an awareness rally in Bannimantap here this morning.

The rally was flagged off by Corporator R. Nagaraj from the Primary Health Centre (PHC) at Hanumanthanagar in the presence of District Vector-borne Diseases Control Officer Dr. Chidambara.

About 100 persons, including nursing students, PHC staff and members of the public, carrying placards with information on prevention of Malaria and measures to be taken to control mosquitoes, took part in the rally that passed through the main thoroughfares of Bannimantap, Hanumanthanagar and Aleemnagar, where they distributed pamphlets among the public  before culminating at the starting point.

Speaking on the occasion, Dr. Chidambara said that till May 2017, 1,88,861 blood samples were collected in the district and added that all the samples tested negative for Malaria.

He further said that 159 dengue and 11 Chikungunya cases were recorded till June 14, 2017 and added that no deaths have occurred due to this. Health Inspectors Madhushankar, Bhadregowda and Venugopal, Dr. Lokesh of Bannimantap PHC and others were present.

Overflowing garbage bin greets rallyists

The rallyists, who assembled at Bannimantap PHC this morning, were greeted with an overflowing garbage bin, which is one of the places for disease-causing mosquitoes to breed. The MCC authorities, who give instructions to public to keep the surroundings clean, seems to have themselves failed in getting the overflowing garbage bin cleared at least today when they took out an awareness rally, said members of public who added that the Corporator, who flagged off the rally, could have taken an initiative to get the bin cleared.