With the monsoon approaching, spread of malaria and other vector borne diseases poses an imminent threat. As per a 2015 WHO-UNICEF report, India is third among 15 countries having the highest cases of malaria and deaths due to the disease.  On the positive side the report does state that malaria deaths have fallen across the world from 8.39 lakh in 2000 to 4.38 lakh in 2015, a drop of 60% in the last 15 years. However, the disease is still an acute public health problem in spite of tremendous progress.

In India, a majority of case have been reported from Odisha and Meghalaya in recent years and Malaria is more prevalent in north-eastern region of the country.

Along with global figures, India's overall malarial deaths decreased by 79 in 2013 as compared to 2012, but in 2014, the number went up to 121. In 2015, there was a significant spike in reported deaths once again. The reason for this was the infliction of mosquito borne dengue and associated fever apart from malaria. There is a need to prevent and control common vector-borne diseases.

India has already defeated polio and there is no question that malaria and other vector-borne diseases cannot be defeated. India embarked on the programme to eradicate the nation of polio 19 years ago in 1995, when the disease used to cripple more than 50,000 children in the country every year. Technological innovations, adequate domestic financial resources and close monitoring of polio programme with a 2.3-million strong team of polio volunteers and 150,000 supervisors working day and night to reach every child helped India eradicate the disease.

The polio success must be emulated and used as a blueprint to annihilate other diseases. The solution lies in a united and sustained effort from all of us. Ministries of health alone cannot control these diseases. Their control and prevention needs committed engagement from all sectors, strong political will and active community participation.

Simple, cost-effective interventions like insecticide-treated bed nets, indoor spraying and keeping surroundings clean must be followed and awareness intensified to save millions of lives.

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Kenter Joya Riba

(Managing Editor)
      She is a graduate in Science with post graduation in Sociology from University of Pune. She has been in the media industry for nearly a decade. Before turning to print business, she has been associated with radio and television.
Email: kenterjoyaz@easternsentinel.in / editoreasternsentinel@gmail.com
Phone: 0360-2212313

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