TEAM HERALD
teamherald@herald-goa.com
MARGAO: The Nehru stadium at Fatorda ~ spruced up for the ensuing Lusofonia Games ~ has become the latest battle ground for Margao Urban Health Centre’s drive against malaria.
With nearly 25-30 per cent of the total 102 malaria cases reported in Margao since May last were migrant construction workers hailing from the endemic states of Bihar, Jharkhand and Odisha and working at the Nehru stadium, the Margao Urban Health doctors and workers have re-drawn its strategies to contain the menace.
As around 600 construction workers working day and night inside the stadium and under different contractors, Urban Health Office has deployed a team of workers to ensure that each and every worker is screened thoroughly at the site. A surveillance worker is permanently posted inside the stadium to check fever cases amongst the workers. “Malaria cases in Margao have shot up since May primary because of the construction work at the Nehru stadium. Most of the cases detected at the stadium were amongst the migrant labourers. Efforts are on to ensure that malaria does not spread to the local population at Fatorda,” stated Margao Health Officer, Dr Sanjav Dalvi.
He said of the total 234 malaria cases reported in South Goa, 102 cases were reported from Margao. “Not a single chikungunya case was reported from Margao. Of the 11 dengue cases, only four were from Margao,” he added.
Replying to a question, Dr Dalvi said the situation in Margao on the malaria front is well under control. “There’s no cause for concern as the cases are less than the figures of the corresponding year. But we are maintaining a strict watch because of the migrant labour working at the Nehru stadium,” he said.
The situation of the vector-borne diseases was reviewed at a meeting chaired by the District Collector N D Agrawal last week, wherein certain directives were issued to the health department.
