TEAM HERALD
PORVORIM: While there was a decline in malaria cases, the year 2013 saw a huge surge in dengue cases with Bardez taluka alone accounting for 20 per cent of those recorded in the State.
In all, 198 cases of dengue were reported in Goa during 2013, out of which 40 were reported in Bardez. The break-up of dengue cases recorded in the primary health centres in Bardez are Candolim (15), Aldona (12), Mapusa (10) and Colvale (3).
Confirming the rise in dengue cases, Deputy Director of National Vector Borne Disease Control Programme Dr Sachin Govekar said in the year 2012 just 39 dengue cases were reported in Goa, but in 2013, there was sharp increase in dengue cases which rose to 198. He attributed this to unplanned urbanization.
Cases of chickungunya recorded by Aldona and Candolim primary health centres were 5 and 2 respectively while 621 cases of malaria were recorded in Bardez of which 54 were falciparum and 567 vivax.
However, statistics reveal that these figures do not account for the malaria cases detected by private pathological laboratories or treated by private physicians.
As per figures revealed by Directorate of Health Services, 1,530 cases of malaria had been reported in Goa during 2013 with health centres imposing fines on construction contractors to the tune of Rs 2,08,000 for violating health rules.
Dr Govekar said awareness programmes like advocacy workshops, training for medical officers, supervisory staff, multipurpose workers, Anganwadi workers, teachers, etc, undertaken by the Health Department resulted in drastic drop in malaria cases in Goa.
“During the year 2008, 9,822 cases were reported which gradually scaled down to 1,530 cases in 2013,” he informed.
