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Preventing mosquito breeding key to keep malaria at bay

— Photo: T. Singaravelou

Anti-malaria awareness camp held on Tuesday.

PUDUCHERRY: If preventing mosquito breeding in clean water sources is the key to keep malaria at bay, early detection and prompt treatment could help in reducing the effects of this vector-borne disease.

With June being observed as the anti-malaria month, the Office of the Assistant Director (Malaria), Directorate of Health and Family Welfare Services organised a malaria awareness camp for residents of Chinnayapuram on Tuesday.

The camp was aimed at providing information on malaria, its causes and symptoms, for people of different walks of life. It emphasised the need to prevent mosquito breeding in water storages, early detection of malaria and prompt treatment.

“Prior to the onset of the monsoon period, we want to inform the public on ways to prevent mosquito breeding in water sources to prevent malaria. The incidence of malaria and number of deaths is high in States such as Orissa, Jharkhand and Chhattisgarh. In Puducherry, malaria is not much of a problem, except for influx of tourists from endemic areas,” Assistant Director (Malaria) N. Nilamani said.

“Early detection and proper treatment is very important. Mosquitoes causing malaria lay eggs in clean water in large sheets such as overhead tanks, sumps, big vessels with water and wells. The lids should be closed properly or decant the storages within eight days,” he emphasised. He said that an elocution competition was also held.

Apart from propagating awareness on malaria, the camp imparted the information that results for blood samples for testing of malaria would be available in 10 minutes. The health officials met the public on the streets to disseminate information during the occasion. Posters were also displayed for the public.

Assistant Entomologist (Malaria) J. Mary Jacintha Anandou was present on the occasion.

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