The monsoon is here and so is malaria. Around 50 labourers at the under-construction super-speciality block adjoining the GMC are infected with malaria raising a health scare at Goa Medical College and Hospital (GMC). Authorities have swung into action with spot checks on malaria-breeding sites and regular fogging.
It’s a disgrace that malaria has thrived right at the doorstep of Goa’s premier hospital and at a time when the Directorate of Health Services is aiming for “zero malaria” by 2020. The DHS is drawing a line between indigenous and non-indigenous infections, but that’s not going to save the situation ultimately, since the virus is going to spread either way. And in the absence of early detection before the symptoms surface, it’s only going to make the job of controlling it all the more difficult. The DHS cannot rest on statistics which show a decline in malarial death.
The multiple-storey super-speciality block at GMC is a classic case. There are around 600 labourers staying put at the under-construction site, literally converting it into a private residency. The laws are very clear on this, with no labourers being allowed to be housed at construction sites. Why was the contractor allowed this liberty in the first place and how did it skip the eye of authorities? Has anyone bothered to do a check on the living conditions of these 600 labourers? This only goes to show that systemic checks and balances have failed.
There is a huge influx of migrant labourers in Goa. In fact a majority of the labour force involved in construction activity is from other States. Screening of migrants is step number one, but that alone will not help. The Health department should have learnt their lessons by now. The killer mosquito doesn’t differentiate between outside labourers and the locals. The breeding grounds should be also a cause for concern. There is water accumulation happening in several places around the campus and that needs to be tackled. Establishments and institutes irrespective of their affiliations should be sensitive to this issue.
If the Health Department is serious about eradicating malaria by 2020, it has to be serious on the ground. Statistics suggests that construction sites are habitual breeding spots for malaria. Agreed that the health department can’t track migrant labourers moving from one site to another, but at least authorities should keep a strict vigil on construction sites. Contractors cannot be allowed to bypass the law since it throws a huge question mark on the entire eradication plan. Leave aside the GMC site, there are hundreds of construction sites where labourers are housed. Why have authorities not cracked a whip on these contractors?
Several states have been grappling with vector-borne diseases with Delhi hit hard this season with already 50 cases detected. The 142 deaths due to Acute Encephalitis Syndrome in Bihar and another 57 deaths in Assam is another example of how serious it could get. With construction continuing at a brisk pace, Goa can’t afford to take it easy.
