Ranchi: Nine more people tested positive for cerebral malaria in Potka block of Jharkhand’s East Singhbhum district, taking the total count of such cases in the area to 150 in the last one week, officials said on Thursday.
The growing number of cases prompted the state government to direct all district administrations to develop a comprehensive action plan to combat the vector-borne disease, they said.
“A total of 3,000 samples have been tested in the Potka block since June 24. Around 150 people, including nine found positive on Wednesday, have been detected with cerebral malaria,” district health department officer Dr Mrityunjay Dhavaria said.
Cerebral malaria is a life-threatening neurological complication of Plasmodium Falciparum infection, resulting in coma and severe brain damage.
The majority of cases have been reported from villages such as Kandar and Hithbasa, where medical teams are continuously monitoring the situation, providing medicines, distributing mosquito nets, and taking precautionary measures, the official said.
“Nine cerebral malaria-positive patients were admitted to a hospital in the Potka block, while 45 others have been undergoing treatment in Sadar Hospital, Jamshedpur,” he said.
Four children died of cerebral malaria since the first case of such vector-borne disease was reported last week.
In a letter to all deputy commissioners (DCs) of the districts, Additional Chief Secretary (Health) Ajoy Kumar Singh directed them to ensure comprehensive action to prevent and control malaria with immediate effect.
“In areas where malaria cases are being reported, surveillance should be intensified by formulating an action plan on a war footing, and accountability should be fixed at every level to prevent the infection from spreading,” Singh said in the letter issued on Wednesday evening.
Surveys will be conducted through multipurpose health workers (MPWs) and ‘sahiyas’ (community health workers) in areas where the number of patients with fever is high, the official said.
“Every patient suspected of having malaria infection will undergo immediate testing, and if found positive, treatment will be initiated without delay,” the letter said.
Singh directed all the deputy commissioners to ensure that adequate stocks of testing kits and anti-malarial medicines are maintained at community health centres.
Besides, vector control measures such as spraying of insecticides and activities aimed at larvae control should be intensified in the affected areas.
“Malaria data should be prepared for each village, and rapid diagnostic test kits and essential medicines should be provided to the ‘sahiyas’ (community health workers) of the most affected villages,” the letter added.
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