The State Government started distribution of long lasting insecticidal nets (llINs) in three tribals dominated malaria-prone districts on the World Malaria Day on Tuesday, official sources said.
The Government had earlier in February this year submitted its total requirement of llINs to the Directorate of National Vector Borne Disease Control Programme (NVBDCP). “The districts where llINs, also called medicated nets, are being distributed are Malkangiri, Koraput and Nabarangpur. The use of medicated nets would certainly help reduce the rate of malaria cases,” an official said, adding that 1.3 crore nets would be distributed free of cost under the Global Funds for Aids, TB and Malaria (GFATM) programme.
llINs would be distributed in 17 of the State’s other districts — Rayagada, Gajapati, Kandhamal, Kalahandi, Nuapada, Balangir, Nayagarh, Boudh, Angul, Deogarh, Keonjhar, Mayurbhanj, Sambalpur and Sundargarh — in different phases. Stating that earlier between 2009 and 2012, the Centre had supplied about 30 lakh llINs which were distributed among the very high-burden districts, an official said that as many as two crore people would get benefit of the scheme.