Poor drainage, sanitation, easy floating population adding to malady
Eastern Mirror Desk
Dimapur, Dec. 14: The goal of the National Vector Borne Disease Control Programme (NVBDCP) for Nagaland is to eliminate malaria (zero ‘indigenous cases’) throughout the districts by 2022. Another goal is to maintain the malaria–free status in areas where malaria transmission had been ‘interrupted,’ prevent reintroduction of malaria and to reduce the incidence of malaria to less than one case per 1000 population per year in the districts by 2024.
The programme envisages interrupting ‘indigenous’ transmission of malaria throughout the districts by 2027 and prevent the reestablishment of local transmission in areas where it has been eliminated; maintain district malaria-free status by 2030 and beyond.
This overview of malaria in the districts and the action plan for malaria elimination was given by Health and Family Welfare’s Joint Director Dr. Moa Jamir at the launch of a ‘malaria elimination’ campaign in Dimapur. The event was launched by Dimapur’s Deputy Commissioner Sushil Kumar Patel on Thur. Dec. 14 in the DC’s conference hall.
Dr. Jamir emphasized on rural Dimapur: seven blocks of Medziphema, Dhansiripar, Singrijan, Niuland, Kuhuboto, Chumukedima and Dimapur sadar); urban Dimapur: six sub centres (Nagarjan, Midland, Lingrijan, Duncan, Sematilla and Xuvihe). The health officer said that the targets set for malaria elimination by 2022 are to see that ‘indigenous transmission’ is interrupted.
By 2024-30, the officials hope that the reestablishment of local transmissions is prevented in areas where malaria has been eliminated. A related objective is to maintain the malaria-free status throughout the district.
“The milestone and targets set for malaria elimination in the urban Dimapur is that by 2020 all six sub centres and one urban primary health centre have reduced annual parasite Incidence to less than one 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,” Dr. Jamir said in his presentation.
The overall objectives of the programme are rapid reduction of transmission in areas with high malaria incidence; interruption of malaria transmission in low transmission areas.
The broad strategies of the malaria elimination framework are-early diagnosis and radical treatment, case-based surveillance and rapid response, Integrated Vector Management (IVM)-Larvicidal, Larvivarous fish distribution, space spray of 2% Pyrethrum extract through Long-Lasting Insecticidal Nets (LLINs) / Insecticide Treated Bed Nets (ITNs) and Larval Source Management (LSM).
Epidemic preparedness and early response, monitoring and evaluation, advocacy, coordination and partnerships, behaviour change communication and community mobilization, programme planning and management, notification of malaria, formation of District Task Force for Malaria Elimination, cross border malaria elimination, operational research, procurement and supply chain management are the strategies to eliminate malaria, according to Dr. Jamir.
A briefing about prioritization of areas was also given. He said that to sustain the achievements and further shrink the malaria map, the focus will be prioritised accordingly in areas with high malaria incidence.
The cause
A copy of Dimapur District Malaria Elimination Plan 2017-2022 maintains that the drainage system in Dimapur town is very poor which contributes massive breeding sites for vectors.
“Another major concern and cause of malaria cases in district with the travellers such as truck drivers, businessmen (across India and particularly Myanmar), transits from Dimapur (to and fro), tourists, to name a few carry the disease and transmit to our locality and further transmit to another destination. As such there is every possibility of outbreak of various infectious and parasitic (particularly malaria) as well as chronic diseases in these areas,” it maintained.
“But with the support from government of India and the global fund and active program implementation we have seen the receding cases of Malaria in our district,” it stated. Still, the district requires hand-holding support to contain the disease and further to eliminate malaria.
DC Patel who is also the chairman of the District Task Force and Committee for Malaria Elimination launched the programme. He said that the programme was not a new policy but that it had been at work since the ‘50s to eliminate malaria.
“We have a policy and if we have to work out based on the policy and strategy than we can successfully eliminate malaria,” the administrator said.
