Having contained the spread of COVID-19 cases, the officials of Integrated Tribal Development Agency in Visakhapatnam are now preoccupied with strategies to prevent increase in the incidence of malaria with rains set to aggravate the problem.
Over 600 cases have been detected so far amid fears that stagnated water due to multiple spells of rain may convert them into breeding grounds for malaria.
Leela Prasad, ADMHO (Paderu), said on Tuesday that they distributed 1.40 lakh mosquito nets in high-risk villages, sending ANMs on a door-to-door survey, carrying out anti-larval operations and offering artemisinin-based combination therapy to tackle malaria caused by plasmodium falciparum parasite.
“After successfully creating awareness among the tribal people on social distancing and personal hygiene to prevent the spread of COVID-19 in the Agency area, now we are focusing on fighting malaria,” new ITDA Project Officer Venkateswar Salijamala told The Hindu.
He said they were taking stock of the situation at regular intervals to contain the situation. Malaria and viral fevers spread fast with the onset of monsoon in the hilly tribal areas.
Mr .Venkateswar said ITDA identified 8,000 tribal people in the district for distribution of 13,000 acres under the Recognition of Forest Rights Act, 2006. Mr. Venkateswar said in addition to the land under ROFR, they also sanctioned allotment of house sites for 13,000 tribals.
The district has a tribal population of 6.5 lakh in the ITDA area spread over 6,000 sq. km. Mr. Venkateswar earlier worked as the Sub-Collector of Paderu.
Asked to spell out his priorities, he said besides preventing COVID-19, controlling malaria cases and providing jobs under MGNREGA, the focus areas would be augmenting drinking water and communication network.
Stating that not a single COVID-19 positive case had been reported in the Agency area, he said with monsoon approaching fast, there was a risk that the situation would aggravate. Hence, the ITDA in association with other departments would continue sanitisation and awareness campaign on preventive measures.
Mr. Venkateswar said due to lockdown, the tribals had lost a long duration ideal to take up various works under MGNREGA. Now the works would be speeded up so as to provide income to the tribal people.
