Malaria still big threat to people in remote CHT

25 April 2009, 18:00 PM

Star National Desk

Malaria still remains as a big threat for public health in Rangamati, Bandarban and Khagrachhari hill districts as remote areas of the districts are out of reach of government and non-government health service providers, speakers said at seminars marking International Malaria Day yesterday. Directorate of Health and Brac organised a seminar titled “Counting malaria out” marking World Malaria Day at the auditorium of Rangamati Tribal Culture Institute as the World Malaria Day was observed with a vow not to let anybody die of malaria, reports our Rangamati correspondent. Addressing the seminar as the chief guest, Chairman of CHT Regional Council and chief of Parbatya Chattagram Jana Sanghati Samity Jyotirindra Bodhipriya Larma (widely known as Santu Larma) said the life and livelihood of the people in CHT are still unsafe. He called upon the officials concerned to involve the indigenous people with all development programmes to make the implementation process easy. The health department and Brac are jointly implementing a malaria control programme in CHT along with ten other districts. Under the programme, insecticide-treated mosquito nets are being distributed to poor people and health service provided free of cost. A total of 3,858 patients died of malaria in Bangladesh from 2000 to March-2009, a report of health department disclosed yesterday. Despite increase in the number of patients, the number of death have declined, the report said. Our Bandarban Correspondent reports: The mortality rate of malaria in Bandarban Hill District has reduced to one-forth following distribution of medicated mosquito nets among the poor people in the district, acting Civil Surgeon Dr Abdul Mannan said at a meeting organised on World Malaria Day. District health department at the conference hall in Bandarban town yesterday. Chittagong Hill Tracts Development Board (CHTDB) Chairman Bir Bahadur MP, who attended the programme as chief guest, said an intensive programme will be initiated soon to reduce the mortality and suffering due to malaria in CHT areas. Our Khagrachhari Correspondent adds: Speakers at a discussion yesterday said the number of malarial death in the district has come down to half in a year as government and non government organisations jointly worked to check it. District Civil Surgeon's office and Brac jointly organised the discussion at Shilpakala Academy auditorium to mark International Malaria Day. Forty-four people died of malaria in the district in last year which was about 80 in the previous year, speakers said at the meeting. Forty seven thousand people were affected in last year which was about 90 thousand in the previous year, they said.