Malaria figures refuse to decline: WHO brief
TEAM HERALD
PANJIM: World Health Day was celebrated on Monday at Goa Medical College, Bambolim under the United Nations suggested theme: ‘Small Bite, Big Threat’ with the aim to eradicate vector borne diseases.
In view of the code of conduct being in force, the function was low key and presided over by Principal Secretary (Health), Parimal Rai.
More than half the world’s population is at risk from diseases such as malaria, dengue, leishmaniasis, Lyme disease, schistosomiasis and yellow fever, carried by mosquitoes, flies, ticks, water snails and other vectors. Every year, more than 1 billion people are infected and more than 1 million die from vector-borne diseases.
Vector-borne diseases are one of the greatest contributors to human mortality and morbidity in tropical parts and beyond. Although significant progress has been made in combating some diseases such as malaria, lymphatic filariasis and Chagas disease, other diseases such as dengue continue to spread at an alarming pace. This global brief provides details on the vectors and the iseases they cause and recommends what governments, local authorities, community groups, and individuals can do to prevent disease, the WHO has said.
The State government had made rapid progress in controlling vector borne diseases especially malaria towards the end of the last decade. However, there is a threat that all the hard work will be reversed after Dengue raised its ugly head last year. Similarly, malaria figures have stubbornly refused to decline.
Also present on the occasion were CMO (SAG), FTI, Ministry of L&E, GoI, Dr K Ravi Kumar, Director of Health Services, Dr Sanjeev Dalvi, Dy Director (Public Health), Dr Jose D’Sa and Dy Director (NVBDCP),DHS, Dr Sachin Govekar.
Although significant progress has been made in combating some diseases such as malaria, lymphatic filariasis and Chagas disease, other diseases such as dengue continue to spread at an alarming pace.
