The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh / Hyderabad News : Rosaiah admits malaria outbreak

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Jul 22, 2005

Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh - Hyderabad

Rosaiah admits malaria outbreak

Special Correspondent

The Finance Minister, K.Rosaiah

HYDERABAD: On a day when the Telugu Desam president, N. Chandrababu Naidu, visited the agency area to console the malaria-afflicted families, the Finance Minister, K. Rosaiah, met the press on Thursday to confirm the outbreak of the disease in an endemic form but asserted that there had been no single death so far.

As is usual on onset of monsoon, the disease broke out in the tribal belt spread over Srikakulam, Vizianagaram, Visakhapatnam, East & West Godavari, Adilabad, Khammam, Warangal and Mahabubnagar and Kurnool districts. The incidence had been on an increasing trend in the past three years and assumed "dangerous proportions" now, he said. However, only 439 cases tested positive for malaria out of 36,545 viral fever cases recorded by health workers in these areas.

Mr. Rosaiah, who has been additionally allotted Medical & Health portfolio, thanked Mr. Naidu for visiting the agency area but denied there was any laxity on the part of the Government in taking action as alleged by him. He said the Chief Minister had reviewed the situation eight days ago and again on Thursday.

Steps to check disease

He said that the Government had taken several steps to combat the disease, including mass distribution of "blister packs" containing chloroquine and primaquine tablets and 70,000 mosquito nets in villages. Search teams had fanned out into the areas treating the cases. A second round of malathion spraying and distribution of 2,70,000 more mosquito nets were under progress.

Medical teams were stationed at school complexes with sufficient staff and medicines and mobile labs pressed into service. The disease was under control now in the Visakhaptnam area.

Mr. Rosaiah said a Joint Director, Tribal Health, had been appointed to supervise implementation of preventive measures.

He said 6,000 tonnes of rice was made available for distribution among the tribals during the distress period. Steps were under way to fill 292 vacant posts of doctor, nurse and others in the affected areas.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Andhra Pradesh