April 25 is World Malaria Day and the World Health Organisation has prescribed the T3 (Test, Treat, Track) process to tackle malaria. Continuous investment in malaria control will propel countries reeling under the malaria epidemic towards near-zero deaths by 2015. Though about one-and-a-half to two lakh people die of malaria every year in India, the toll count by government, non-government organisations, and the WHO fluctuates considerably.
In 2011, the government statistics under the National Vector-Borne Disease Control Progra-mme, recorded just 463 deaths in India and five deaths in AP from almost 40,000 confirmed cases in the state. In 2006, 1,700 deaths were recorded by the NVBDCP, while the WHO put the toll at 15,000 that year, both of which are an understatement to say the least. The government statistics also shows that the incidence of malaria in the state as well as in the country has declined each year. For instance, there were 33,000 malaria cases in AP in 2011, while the number was 36,000 in 2010. The deaths have also come down from 1,018 to 463 during the same period as per government statistics.
Dr Champa Naik, additional director, (malaria control), State Epidemic Cell, said, “We are taking all precautionary measures to control malaria, especially in five vulnerable districts, namely Srikakulam, Khammam, Vizianagaram, Visakha-patnam and East Godavari. We had projected Rs 18 crore for 2012 and the government has sanctioned Rs 15.5 crore for this year under the NRHM. In 2011, 10,08,566 mosquito nets were distributed. This year too, around eight lakh nets would be supplied in the disease prone areas.”