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Malaria emerges a major killer in North East

With 13 to 41 per cent of the total malaria deaths in the country being reported from the North East, the situation in the Seven Sisters is grim.

According to the Indian Council of Medical Research, malaria is a major health problem in the region. Large tracts in the region are hilly, forested and relatively inaccessible, making the control of the disease difficult.

Though the population of the region is only 3.7 per cent of the country's total, it contributes eight to ten per cent of malaria positive cases and 10 to 20 per cent of the plasmodium falciparum infection in the country, an ICMR report stated.

Stable malaria, with preponderance of plasmodium falciparum infection, is the main characteristic of the disease in the region.

After the introduction of the National Malaria Eradication Programme in 1958, a dramatic reduction in malaria cases occurred in all areas of the country. But it was relatively less marked in the region.

During 1991 to 1995, the region experienced a second resurgence of the disease, marked by a rapid increase in the incidence and geographical expansion. Malaria and PF incidence increased by 42 and 177 per cent respectively in 1995 as compared to 1991. The maximum number of deaths also occurred during this phase.

Assam, the largest state of the region in terms of population, reported the maximum of 64.7 per cent malaria cases and 74.8 per cent of the total plasmodium falciparum cases from North East, the report said.

Four of the 23 districts in Assam -- Karbi, Anglong, Kokrajhar, Darang and N C Hills -- have the highest endimicity of malaria and contribute 41 per cent of the total positive cases and 32 per cent of the plasmodium falciparum cases in the state. These areas contribute only 12.3 of the population.

The areas having more than 25 per cent of tribal population have 53 per cent malaria cases of the region, though the tribes contribute only 35.7 per cent population. The higher malaria rate is mainly due to inadequate health infrastructure and lack of treatment facilities in the villages. Among tribal people it has been found that adults develop sufficient immunity to the disease while children suffer and die.

High malaria incidences is also reported in districts along the international border with Bhutan, China, Myanmar and Bangladesh. The most vulnerable group here are the personnel of security forces and Border Roads Organisation who move from non-malarious to malarious areas, in the process getting exposed to local strains.

Recently, the government had modified its control strategy and introduced a new malaria action programme for problematic areas of the region.

UNI

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