Dimapur, June 29 (EMN): Zunheboto and Longleng districts observed ‘Anti-malaria month’ from June 1 to the 30th by organising various activities on the theme “Reaching the zero malaria target.”
Anti-malaria month is observed every year in the month of June throughout the country. It is observed prior to the onset of monsoon and transmission season with the objective to enhance the level of awareness and encourage community participation in eliminating malaria.
In Zunheboto, the medical team carried out awareness on vector borne diseases to the community. The activities included conduct of malaria clinics, awareness and sensitisation, miking, free distribution of IEC materials and distribution of first aid medicines, a DIPR report stated on Tuesday.
Report stated that the team could cover ten hard-to-reach villages and high endemic areas this year. It added that a total of 271 blood slides for malaria were collected during the month-long activities.
The team was led by Dr. J Hokugha, DVBO, DVBC, AMO, MTS, SWs and ASHAs during the month-long activities.
Longleng district also observed the ‘Anti-malaria month’ in Longleng block, Yongnyah block and Yachem block.
An update from the office of the chief medical officer (CMO), Longleng, stated that month-long programme was observed in ten villages selected from all the three blocks namely Hukphang, Lingtak, Yaongyimchem, Yachem, Yongnyah, Nyang, Yongam, Tamlu town, Shemnyuching and Yonglok villages.
At Longleng block, A Nyumoi Phom, consultant of district vector borne disease (DVBD), has highlighted the status of malaria in the state as well as of Longleng. She encouraged all the participants to use LLINS regularly at night, to organise sanitisation drives especially during the mosquito transmission season, to fill up the ditches and other unwanted water collection sites in and around the locality, which invite mosquito breeding.
She also spoke on the signs and symptoms of malaria, causes, transmission, complications, and prevention. She also encouraged all the villagers to co-operate with the ASHAs when they came to collect the blood slides.
It further mentioned that there has been no malaria case in Longleng since 2019.
Activities including mass media campaigns, interpersonal communication, miking, distribution of posters and IEC materials, field visits, house to house visits to check the use of LLIN, and sample collections were undertaken during the month-long programme.