April 29th 2024.
The government of Odisha has recently made a request to the central government for 1.56 crore Long Lasting Insecticidal Nets (LLINs) in order to combat the increasing cases of malaria in the state. The State Health and Family Welfare Minister, Niranjan Pujari, took this matter into his own hands and wrote a letter to Union Health Minister, Mansukh L Mandaviya, on Monday to address the issue.
In his letter, Pujari highlighted the importance of the central government's previous provision of 1.56 crore LLINs in 2020-21, which proved to be effective in preventing malaria infections among the highly vulnerable populations in Odisha. However, the replacement of these nets, which was supposed to take place in 2023, has been delayed by almost a year. This has left the state vulnerable to a potential surge in malaria cases.
Pujari urged the central government to take prompt action in supplying the LLINs to prevent any further escalation of malaria cases in Odisha. He also brought to light the alarming statistic reported by the National Centre for Vector Borne Diseases Control, which stated that Odisha recorded the highest number of malaria cases in 2023 compared to all other states, with a total of 41,971 cases. This was followed by Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, West Bengal, Tripura, Mizoram, Maharashtra, and Uttar Pradesh.
The delay in replacing the LLINs has put the state in a precarious situation, and it is crucial for the central government to act swiftly in providing the necessary resources to prevent the spread of malaria. The people of Odisha are counting on the government to take necessary measures and ensure their safety and well-being.
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