Karnataka - Mangalore   

`Citizens can help combat malaria'

Staff Correspondent

CREATING AWARENESS: Shantaram Baliga, president, Malaria Action Control Committee of Mangalore City Corporation, speaking to students about ways to check the spread of malaria, dengue and chikungunya, in Mangalore on Saturday. — Photo: R. Eswa rraj

MANGALORE: Cooperation from citizens is essential to combat malaria, Deputy Mayor Abdul Saeem said after inaugurating an awareness camp on malaria, dengue and chikungunya held for schoolchildren on Saturday.

By preventing mosquito breeding in their houses, citizens could play a major role in reducing malaria, he said.

Krishnappa Poojary, Mangalore City Corporation Commissioner, said malaria cases had declined. While 2,040 cases were registered in September 2005, the number of cases recorded this September was 1,728.

Shantaram Baliga, president, Malaria Control Action Committee of the Corporation, told students about steps they could take to prevent malaria. Shutting doors and windows in the evening to prevent the female anopheles mosquito from coming into the house and using mosquito nets were some suggestions.

Mosquitoes that caused malaria (female anopheles mosquito), dengue and chikungunya (aedes aegypti) breed in clean standing water, he added.

By throwing away water collected in any of these containers, students can play a role in malaria control. To prevent mosquito breeding in wells, gappi fish could be added to the water, he said.

There were no confirmed reports of dengue or chikungunya in the city. Lourdes High School, St. Francis Xavier Higher Primary School and Malaria Control Unit, Mangalore City Corporation conducted the camp.

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