PANAJI: Initiatives taken by the health department have helped the government reduce the number of malaria cases in the state by 46 per cent. While 1530 cases of malaria were detected in 2013, the number came down to 824 in 2014.
Going ahead with its objective of accomplishing a reduction in the number of malaria cases across the state, the health department is focusing mainly on bringing down the number of cases rather than achieving the elimination stage, which is not possible unless the high-risk prone areas are brought totally under control.
The state’s health department measures the level of malaria incidence in terms of Annual Parasitic Incidence (API). If the API is less than 1, it is called the pre-elimination stage.
“For the state to achieve the elimination stage, it would require more than ten years with proper planning and funding. However, we will mainly focus on reducing the incidence of the disease to the minimum by 2017. We have been able to achieve the API of less than one malaria case per population of 1000 for considering the state to be in the pre-elimination stage,” said deputy director and in-charge of the National Vector Borne Diseases Control Programme Dr Sachin Govekar.
Explaining the methodology used to control malaria, Dr Govekar said, “We have been adopting vector control measures like the release of guppy fish in stagnant water puddles, which are the mosquito-breeding sites, and also monitor and evaluate the mosquito parasite. Besides, we have also been imposing hefty fines on contractors at construction sites if the labourers are found without health card. The cards help in regular follow-ups of the malaria patients post treatment.”
According to statistics available with the health department, in 2010, the API was 2 while in 2011, it was reduced to less than 1. In 2012, the API was between 1 and 2 and in 2013, it slightly reduced to 1.08. Till date, the state has been able to achieve an API of 0.56, which is less than 1. Though the overall incidence of the disease in the state has dropped, there are, however, six high-risk prone areas – Panaji, Aldona, Corlim, Candolim, Margao and Vasco, which are yet to be brought under the pre-elimination stage. The API in these areas has been ranging from 1 to 5. According to Dr Govekar, unless the API in these areas is brought down to below one, the state cannot be considered to be fully in the pre-elimination stage.
The six high-risk prone areas in the state have 90 per cent of the cases reported amongst migrant workers. According to the statistics, every year 1-5 cases are reported among a population of 1000 in these areas.
During 2013, Candolim registered the highest number of malaria cases numbering 389, which was followed by Margao. The number of cases in Candolim reduced drastically to 84 in 2014 and it was placed at the fourth position in that year, whereas Margao climbed up in 2014 from the second position with 181 registered cases. Aldona, which was placed at the third position till 2013, took the second position in 2014 with 147 malaria cases. Panaji, which was placed at the fourth position with 185 cases till 2013, registered a total of 98 cases in 2014, placing it at the third position. Vasco and Corlim have been placed at the fifth and sixth position, respectively, for the last two years.