VISAKHAPATNAM: The Communist Party of India (Marxist) has demanded that the State Government take up immediate and long-term measures to arrest the spread of malaria in the Visakhapatnam agency region.

Though there is a separate department for malaria eradication in the city, there is no such wing in the agency region where malaria is taking its toll year after year, the CPI(M) district committee secretary Ch. Narasinga Rao said on Monday.

"The CPI(M) MP from Bhadrachalam, Miriam Baburao, during his tour of the agency area in May, demanded distribution of 30 kg rice and dal to tribal families suffering from malnutrition - one of the prime reasons for the spread of malaria there. But even the 20 kg rice promised to each family was not distributed. Tonnes of rice are being diverted by contractors with the connivance of police. Our party workers stopped one lorry this month at Hukumpeta and handed it over to the MDO's office. But no action has been taken on the contractor so far," he alleged.

Health services

On the health services provided in the agency, Mr. Narasinga Rao said that there were no medicines in primary health centres (PHCs).

"These tribals also need multi-vitamin tablets. There is a solitary doctor for two PHCs in the agency area and each PHC has five sub-centres. Most of these sub-centres are not functioning as they do not have staff or medicines," he said.

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