The drive undertaken by the Directorate of Health Services to check the rise of malaria cases in the State is not a fullproof approach to bring down vector-borne diseases.
The DHS in its recent drive has fined migrants and contractors to the tune of Rs 4.73 lakh for not obtaining health cards. The migrants are required to visit the nearest primary health centre once they enter the State. On being checked, each worker is given a
health card that is renewed every year. However, the health card system doesn’t appear to be the solution to contain the spread of malaria. The health department teams should fan out across the State, possibly construction sites and migrant-inhabited areas, and look out for possible breeding spots rather than focus on penalizing individuals who are prone
to be infected with malaria.
There have been 115 indigenous cases of malaria from January
to May this year. The department also registered a total of 53
confirmed cases of dengue and 7 cases of chikungunya. Dr Chandrakant
Porob, deputy director holding additional charge of the
National Vector Borne Disease Control Programme in Goa must
primarily shift focus to cleaner surroundings first and conducting
tests on migrants should be a secondary measure. Hefty fines
should be levied on those responsible for these malaria-breeding
spots. A malaria-infected migrant will not pass on the virus. The
scare lies at the breeding spot of the killer mosquito.
