Malaria cases on rise in Odisha’s Rayagada, 400 test positive

BERHAMPUR: Rayagada, which was declared ‘malaria free’ in 2018 is once again reporting cases among school students.

So far, over 400 students of around 50 institutions, most of them run by the SC/ST department have tested positive for the disease. While 16 students are undergoing treatment at the district headquarters hospital, 11 have been admitted to Muniguda, Kolnara and Kalyansinghpur hospitals. Besides,over 30 affected students have been admitted to SLN medical college and hospital at Koraput and MKCG medical college and hospital in Berhampur.

So far, blood samples of over 2,000 students have been tested, of which 400 were found positive for malaria, said district health office sources.T he affected students are of Kereda High School, Bilesu High School and Anwesha hostel of Rayagada block. While positive cases have been detected in all blocks of the district, the highest 190 are from Muniguda, said sources. Regular screening of the students in various schools is being done, said additional CDMO Dr Mamata Choudhury on Thursday.

She said the disease usually surfaces during monsoon and a distressed sanitation system and unclean surroundings make matters worse. While the students have been advised to use mosquito nets, it is alleged scarcity of malaria examination kits has hampered testing.

On the other hand, locals allege unavailability of mosquito nets in school hostels to the rise in cases. They said most of the hostels have not been given mosquito nets since 2020.

Dr Choudhury however said the district welfare department is looking after requirement of mosquito nets at schools. District welfare officer Bhushan Biswal said the collector and health directorate have been apprised of the issues.

Meanwhile, with the spread of the disease, panic has gripped the locals. The district, prone to malaria, lacks adequate healthcare and safe drinking water. To make matters worse, the district headquarters hospital does not have a dedicated malaria ward and the affected are being admitted to the medicine ward of the facility.

Despite referral of cases to the two medical college and hospitals, the district headquarters hospital is facing shortage of beds as is evident with several patients getting treated on the floor.