Imphal, June 29 2009: While lack of awareness and misconception among the general public has been a cause of concern for the officials of the Manipur State Vector Borne Disease Control Society in ensuring proper implementation of the Malaria control programme in the State, some unscrupulous elements have been taking advantage of the situation and fleecing the innocent public.

According to State Malaria Officer Dr H Nimaichand, though malaria is preventable, its early detection through timely blood testing for prompt treatment is essential.

However there have been instances where the public do not co-operate with the health workers in conducting such tests on account of misconceived fear and apprehension.

He explained that Early Detection and Prompt Treatment (EDPT) is one of the most important components for controlling vector borne diseases like Malaria, Japanese Encephalitis, Dengue, etc and for this just a drop of blood is sufficient for the test and the result can be confirmed within minutes of the test with the help of Rapid Diagnostic Test Kit.

But the misconception of the public that drawing of blood would weaken their body system or lead to some other health related complications, which are completely unfounded, has been causing difficulty for the designated health workers in carrying out health surveillance, Dr Nimaichand said.

Insistence of the local clubs for spraying DDT in their respective localities, regardless of whether the density of the malarial parasite concentrated in that particular area is high or low, and the families in malaria prone sites for carrying out IRS (Indoor Residual Spray) operation in outdoor areas is another problem that the officials of the malaria control programme in the State have been facing.

In this regard, Biologist T Kamini of State Health Society (NVBDCP), State Hqs informed that every local clubs have been coming to the Department with the request for carrying out DDT spraying or fogging operation in their respective areas when the truth is that such operations are to be carried out only in selected sites where the concentration of malarial parasite is high.

Indiscriminate spraying of DDT is also harmful to the environment.

On the other hand, application of IRS operation has been recommended only for indoor areas and walls of the houses where the mosquitos are likely to be present.

But most of the families discouraged it and insisted on the carrying out outdoors mainly due to inconveniences in arrangement of the properties, Kamini conveyed, adding that carrying out IRS operation outdoor does not serve the purpose.

The Department has also been distributing insecticide treated bed nets to the BPL families and pregnant mothers apart from providing assistance in treatment of bed nets to other private individuals free of cost as part of the malaria control measures.

However, it has come to light that in some localities the innocent public have been made to contribute money by unscrupulous elements for these benefits that have no price tag, the official disclosed.

They also informed that in hill areas which are particularly malaria prone, the insecticide treated bed nets were found being kept inside the almirahs instead of using them to protect from mosquito bite.

It is said the insecticide treated bed nets are effective only for 6 months.

According to data available from Manipur State Vector Borne Disease Control Society, 361 health workers are monitoring the implementation of EDPT, 702 Fever Treatment Depots have been opened in remote areas and around 3000 ASHAs have been press into service for early detection and malaria cases and distribution of necessary medicines freely.

Moreover, 15,36,561 insecticide bed nets have been distributed among the BPL families apart from treatment of 2,00,000 bed nets of private individuals during 2007-08 .

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