Speakers at a media orientation programme on Thursday said malaria cases in the Chattogram Hill Tracts (CHT) region have decreased sharply as the government has taken various interventions to prevent its outbreak there. As CHT is a malaria-prone region of the country, the authorities have given special attention in three CHT districts — Bandarban, Rangamati and Khagrachari — to make the area malaria-free, they said at the media orientation on occasion of World Malaria Day 2019.
National Malaria Elimination (NME) and Aedes Transmitted Disease Control Programme (ATDCP) of Disease Control Division, World Health Organization (WHO) – Bangladesh and BRAC organized the programme at DGSH auditorium at Mohakhali, reports BSS.
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Directorate General of Health Services Additional Director General Professor Dr Nasima Sultana addressed the program as the chief guest with Disease Control and Line Director of CDC Professor Dr Sanya Tahmina in the chair. NME and ATDCP DPM Dr MM Aktaruzzaman presented the keynote paper while former NP of WHO- Bangladesh Dr AM Bangali, MO, CDS of WHO Bangladesh Dr Mya Sapal and national consultant of DGHS Professor Be-Nazir Ahmed, among others, addressed it. Malaria is an endemic in 13 out of 64 districts in Bangladesh. The prevalence of malaria in Bangladesh has decreased since the government started the National Malaria Control Program (NMCP) in 2007.
Thirteen districts — Rangamati, Khagrachari, Bandarban, Cox’s Bazar, Chattogram, Sunamganj, Moulvibazar, Sylhet, Habiganj, Netrokona, Myminsingh, Sherpur and Kurigram — are the most malaria endemic districts in the country.
The CHT districts have perennial transmission throughout the year due to the geo-physical location, climate, and other favourable conditions for the vector species, the speakers said.
As part of different initiatives, insecticide-treated nets were distributed among the households under the three CHT districts.
According to the statistics of the Malaria Prevention Programme, seven people died of malaria as 10,523 were infected by the disease in 2018.
Among the 27,737 malaria-infected patients, 17 people died of the disease in 2016 and 13 died among the 29,237 patients infected by malaria in 2017. Dr Sanya said, “It is tough to eradicate malaria totally because malaria is a mosquito-borne disease. We are working to prevent the outbreak of the disease.”
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Malaria is a mosquito-borne infectious disease affecting humans and other animals, she said, adding the disease is caused by parasitic protozoans belonging to the Plasmodium type.
Dr Sanya said malaria causes symptoms that typically include fever, feeling tired, vomiting, and headaches. In severe cases, it can cause yellow skin, seizures, coma, or death. Symptoms usually begin 10-15 days after mosquito bite.
Do you want to know how to identify malaria fever?
Malaria is a disease caused by a parasite. The parasite is spread to humans through the bites of infected mosquitoes. People who have malaria usually feel very sick with a high fever and shaking chills. While the disease is uncommon in temperate climates, malaria is still common in tropical and subtropical countries. Each year nearly 290 million people are infected with malaria, and more than 400,000 people die of the disease. If you think that you might have contracted this illness, it’s important for you to seek medical attention immediately so that your doctor can prescribe medication or treatment options right away before it gets worse!
You don’t need any special equipment or training to be able to tell if someone has contracted this illness – just look at their skin color! If they appear pale then they most likely do not have malaria but if their skin appears dark red or purple then there’s a good chance that they may have contracted this virus! It’s also important for them not drink alcohol as it will make them even more dehydrated which could lead them down an even darker path towards contracting other illnesses such as pneumonia! And finally, make sure that they stay hydrated by drinking lots of water throughout the day until their symptoms subside completely – otherwise death could become imminent within 24 hours after first showing signs of infection!! We hope everyone stays safe out there.
The most common signs and symptoms of malaria are fever, chills, general discomfort. Other reported issues include headache or abdominal pain in severe cases; nausea & vomiting with diarrhea usually present as well but can also involve constipation if left untreated for long enough periods - this is due to the parasite eating away at your muscles which will then fail causing cramps when you try standing up quickly after sitting down all day long! Rapid breathing may be seen along with rapid heart rate (over 140 beats per minute), coughing etc.. But don't worry: these problems only indicate infection by Plasmodium falciparum.
If you are experiencing the symptoms of malaria fever, it is important to seek medical attention immediately. There are many ways to prevent getting bitten by an infected mosquito in areas where the disease is common. However, if you live in a temperate climate without any risk for mosquitoes, there’s no need to worry about contracting this illness.
