Extensive sensitisation about malaria through regular awareness programmes and cleanliness drives at regular intervals in slums and infection-prone areas has resulted in Dharwad district recording zero cases of malaria in the last two years.
Speaking at an Anti-Malaria Day programme organised by the Health Department and the district administration in Dharwad on Tuesday, virologist Manjunath Patil said that the district has not reported a single case of malaria since 2019.
Dr. Manjunath said that last year a person from Bihar was diagnosed with malaria, but timely treatment helped him get cured of the disease.
“The Health Department aims to make India free from Malaria by 2030 and media’s role is crucial in achieving this. Media is a powerful tool which can create awareness among the people on maintaining cleanliness in their surroundings and developing good eating and healthy lifestyle,” he said.
Inaugurating the programme, District Health and Family Welfare Officer Yashwanth Madinkar said that maintaining the health of society is the responsibility of all. Adopting the best health practices to ensure that none of the family members is affected by any kind of disease, particularly, during the onset of the monsoon, should be the mantra, he said.
Dr. Madinkar said that the health staff should walk the extra mile as the theme of the current year’s Anti-Malaria programme is “Make India Zero Malaria”.
He asked people not to neglect any kind of infection and get blood tests conducted if they suffered from prolonged fever.
Taluk Health Officer K.N. Tanuja said that workshops and sensitisation programmes will be held for media persons so that they can sensitise people even more.
District Information Officer Manjunath Dollin and others were present.
