Malaria affects 90 percent migrant workers – malaria control officer Ashok

Mangalore Today News Network

Udupi,  29, 2012 : Dr. H. S. Ashok, malaria control officer, declared that 90 percent migrant workers are affected by malaria, adding that 190 cases of malaria have already been identified. He further commented that workers who migrated into DK from West Bengal, Jharkhand, Orissa, and Bihar are the least conscious about their health.

 

The officer was addressing a symposium on malaria in Ambalapadi Bhavani Mantapa organized jointly by Ambalapady Temple and Archana Charitable Trust.

He said that workers at around 57 construction sites in Udupi and Manipal have been tested for malaria and their blood samples have been collected. Over 2000 such samples have been sent for testing, he added.

Speaking about malaria, he said that it is a disease as old as 2000 years and now affects people in cities more than it affects people in villages because people in cities are least bothered about hygienic conditions. They allow water to stand in pools and stagnate, drink tender coconuts and throw away the halves carelessly, allowing water to stand in it and mosquitoes to breed, and carelessly dispose ice cream cups. All this leads to more mosquitoes and malaria, he added.

Regarding treatment for malaria, he said that, once a person is diagnosed with malaria, he/she has to take medicines for 14 days.

Dr. N. B. Vijaya Ballal, managing trustee of Ambalapady Shri Janardhana Mahakali Temple, inaugurated the symposium. Municipal Commissioner Gokuldas Nayak presided. Dr. Sathish Kamath, president of IMA Karavali branch; Kiran Manjanbail, president of the District Working Journalists’ Association; Amith Aravind; and Dr. Ashok Okude were also present.