Malaria in Mizoram and Meghalaya

Thanks to the varied initiatives of Health Deptt. Under NRHM, The death casualties from malaria have been recorded less in past few years. The malaria causality in Mizoram during the same period of time in 2007 was recorded as 49. The Lunglei District had also recorded 17 malarial deaths during January- June last year. However, only 3 deaths due to malaria have been reported in Lunglei District till June this year. The Health & Family Welfare Department had expressed gratification towards people; NGO’s ; NGO’s Departmental staffs, Church Bodies for their yeomen cooperation pertained to curbing of deadly Malaria endemic in the state of Mizoram.

It has been often found that it is mostly the poor people who do not have access to health facilities, living under poor conditions and with lack of awareness on the different aspects of the disease which have resulted in sizeable section of this part of the population falling prey to malarial infection. In Meghalaya endemic cases of malaria have been witnessed mostly along the international border across the plains area of the state and also the remote border areas in continuity with Assam. Most of these areas, if one gets the opportunity to visit them, will show the abysmal health conditions of the people and the near collapse of the public health delivery system. It is difficult to imagine but this is an indigestible truth of modern India in the twenty first century where a growth rate of nine percent is almost synonymous with multiplexes and the mushrooming of malls. In the numerous PHCs and the CHCs and also sub health centres that abound the region, there is no doubt that priority has been given to combating Malaria but in spite of this, the services have to be improved to meet the desired goals.