Malaria Deaths in Odisha

Sundargarh records 114 malaria deaths in 5 years

Mihir Ray, TNN | Jul 30, 2013, 02.23 PM IST
ROURKELA: As many as 114 people have died of malaria in Sundargarh district since 2008. The samples of 371,541 patients were sent for malaria test in 2008. Out of these 22,720 cases tested positive while 22 died. In 2009, samples of 371,648 persons were sent for malaria test out of which 20,796 tested positive. Twenty patients died. The year after, 396,885 samples were sent for blood tests with 16,084 testing positive and 39 dying.

Similarly in 2011, samples of 321,588 persons were sent for malaria test out of which 13,048 persons tested positive while 22 died. In 2012, the blood samples of 313,387 patients were tested out of which 16,304 were found to be positive with 14 succumbing. Till June 30, 2013, samples of 119,900 were sent for the malaria test out of which 5,196 cases tested positive and five died. Out of 17 blocks in the district, the maximum number of malaria cases were detected in Gurundia,Kiora, Bonei and Balishankara.

The figures clearly indicate that the anti-malaria drive by the health department had very little impact on the killer disease though 90 supervisors, 216 male health workers and 467 female health workers are engaged in it.

Defending the health initiatives, chief district medical officer (Sundargarh) Basanta Kumar Nayak said, "We have been organising sensitizing programmes across the district to combat malaria and dengue." Municipalities are also taking steps to combat malaria and dengue.