Eastern Mirror Desk
Dimapur, Dec. 21 (EMN): The National Vector Borne Disease Control Programme (NVBDCP) had launched the ‘malaria elimination’ campaign for Dimapur district on Dec. 14 with the vision to eliminate malaria (zero ‘indigenous cases’) throughout the district by 2022. That way, it would also contribute to improving health, quality of life and alleviate poverty. It also seeks to maintain malaria–free status in areas where malaria transmission had been interrupted and to prevent reintroduction of the vector borne disease.
‘The district is actively implementing the programme activities resulting to decrease Annual Parasite Incidence (API) from 0.42 in 2014 to 0.14 in 2016 and no reported deaths in 2016 in rural Dimapur. Meanwhile decreased API from 1.1 in 2014 to 0.8 in 2016 and no reported deaths in 2016 in the urban section as well,’ states a report from the NVBDCP of the Dimapur District Malaria Elimination Plan 2017-2022.
As per the epidemiological data, during the past nine years (2008-16) in rural Dimapur malaria cases were recorded at the highest in 2010 with 1463 cases. After 2010, there was a massive decline in malaria cases in the rural areas with only 32 cases. In urban Dimapur, during the past seven years (2010-2016), malaria cases were recorded the highest in 2012 with 311 cases.
Early diagnosis and complete treatment as well as distribution of Long Lasting Insecticidal Net (LLIN) reduced the number of positive cases, the NVBDCP of Dimapur states.
Malarial deaths in rural Dimapur during the last nine years (2008- 2016) was recorded the highest in 2009 with eight deaths whereas in Urban Dimapur during the last 7 years (2010 – 2016) malarial death was recorded the highest in 2010, with 11 deaths.
The district with the effective programmed implementation could reduce the occurrence of death over the years, and there was no reported case of death due to malaria.
The milestone and targets set for malaria elimination in the rural areas:
By 2018 all seven blocks in rural Dimapur-Medziphema, Dhansiripar, Singrijan, Niuland, Kuhuboto, Chumukedima and Dimapur block, all six Sub centres in urban Dimapur-Nagarjan, Duncan, Lingrijan, Midland, Xuvihe, Sematilla and one UPHC that are under Category 1(Elimination Phase) in 2016 have interrupted malaria transmission and achieve zero indigenous cases and deaths due to malaria
By 2020 all blocks have reduced API to less than 1 case per 1000 population at risk, sustain zero deaths due to malaria and establish fully functional malaria surveillance to track, investigate and respond to each case throughout the district.
By 2022 indigenous transmission is interrupted and the district has no indigenous case and no death due to malaria while sustaining zero indigenous cases and deaths due to malaria.
The Dimapur District Malaria Elimination Plan 2017-2022 also has a surveillance plan to enhance the activities of Sentinel Site Hospital Malaria set up in the district, mobilisation for Early Diagnosis and Complete Treatment (EDCT), early case detection (passive and active), screening camps, extensive blood Slide collection, inter- state and intra district data sharing.
To enhance the surveillance and case management, the district proposes to select and train 186 Fevers Treatment Depot in villages where ASHAs are not active and in villages where there is no Health Units, it informed.
