The Chhattisgarh Government has opted for an advanced device for its medical teams called the ‘Rapid Diagnostic Kit (RD kit)’ for rapidly detecting the dreaded Falciparum malaria in patients having fever.
The Rapid Diagnostic kit (RD kit) helps in immediate examination of a patient for diagnosis of Falciparum malaria, so that timely medical attention can be provided, officials informed.The RD kit has proved largely beneficial for the patients in remote forest villages of Chhattisgarh. As number of malaria cases increases significantly during the monsoon season, the State government is taking serious steps to create awareness among public for taking up malaria prevention measures.
This awareness campaign includes organizing various public awareness campaigns in every development block of the State, distribution of pamphlets, wall painting, slogan writing, broadcast of informative programmes in local dialects like Chhattisgarhi, Gondi and Sargujahi through Akashwani and Doordarshan.The officials further informed that at the time of formation of Chhattisgarh in year 2000, the ‘Annual Parasite Index’ of Chhattisgarh was 16.75, which has decreased to 4.8 in present and is expected to reduce further in near future.
The State Government has already taken significant steps for prevention of Falciparum malaria in the State. A team of trained health personnel has been appointed to ensure timely medical attention to the patients of Falciparum malaria and to avoid casualty caused due to the disease.This apart, under the National Malaria Prevention Programme, nearly 5,298 doctors and para medical employees in the State have been trained. This includes 27 District Coordinators, 126 Block Medical Officers, 227 lab Technicians, 30 Malaria Technical Supervisors, 1135 Rural Medical Assistants, 668 Ayush Medical Officers and 3085 multipurpose health workers.
For prevention of malaria in Chhattisgarh, the State government’s Health Department has taken several awareness oriented measures in all the districts of the State.
Department officials further informed that in the previous financial year 2013-14, the State government distributed medicated mosquito nets to as many as 21.25 lakh families through PDS ration shops of 59 development blocks.These mosquito nets were distributed between year 2011-12 and year 2013-14 in 17 districts of the State, including all seven districts of tribal populated Bastar Revenue Division, five districts of Surguja Revenue Division, three districts of Bilaspur revenue division, and also Gariaband and Kabeerdham district.
This year, the State government has set the target of distributing medicated mosquito nets to nearly 3.5 lakh families of nine tribal populated development blocks.As another preventive measure, the Health Department has made arrangements for regular blood tests of fever patients.
Right from district to tehsil and block-level government hospitals as well as the sub-health centres in rural areas of the State have been equipped with the facilities of blood test and medicine distribution. As a result, the prevalence rate of malaria in the State has declined considerably.