Plan to reduce malaria deaths in CHT by 50pc
The government has taken up a plan to reduce deaths from malaria in Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT) and other malaria prone areas by 50 per cent within 2012, Health and Family Planning Secretary AKM Zafar Ullah Khan said at a discussion meeting here yesterday.
Khagrachhari Hill District Council (KHDC) Chairman Monindra Lal Tripura chaired the meeting marking observance of World Malaria Day.
Khagrachhari Civil Surgeon Dr. Abu Taher, Police Superintendent Oaiumuzzaman, Deputy Commissioner Mohammad Shahdat Hossen and regional army commander Begredier Kamruzzaman Psc also spoke at the meeting.
The meeting, held at the Town Hall, followed a colourful rally in the town to create awareness about malaria and its treatment facilities.
The speakers said government-NGO coordination will be further strengthened to create awareness about the disease and extend more treatment facilities at people's doorsteps. NGOs will further expand their activities in remote areas so that suspected malaria patients can get blood tests quickly and avail treatment facilities.
Deaths from malaria in CHT is gradually coming down following creation of awareness about the disease and steps by the government and NGOs.
The disease claimed about 77 lives in Khagrachhari district since July last year, which was about 100 in the corresponding period in the previous year, sources said.
Death toll from malaria in CHT in last one year was about 200, down from about 300 three years' ago, the sources said.
The government and different NGOs including Brac so far distributed 83,735 Long Lasting Mosquito Nets (LLMN) among the poor.
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