The government is going to provide malaria treatment to patients of 13 malaria-prone districts through its 800 community clinics towards the end of this month.
‘We will open the service for the malaria patients at the community clinics of 13 districts on 26 April,’ said disease control director of Directorate General of Health Services Be-Nazir Ahmed on Tuesday.
He was addressing a press briefing at the Institute of Epidemiology, Disease Control and Research auditorium.
The programme was organised by the health ministry and BRAC to mark World Malaria Day tomorrow.
This year the theme of the day is ‘Invest in the Future: Defeat Malaria’.
He said they had already prepared a guideline for providing treatment at the community clinics.
Primarily, the service would be open at a community clinic in Maulvi Bazar and gradually the service would be available at the other community clinics.
Be-Nazir Ahmed said every year around 98 per cent malaria infection and deaths, related to the disease, occurred in the 13 malaria-prone districts.
The districts are Rangamati, Bandarban, Khagrachari, Coxs’ Bazar, Chittagong, Maulvi Bazar, Sylhet, Habiganj, Sunamganj, Mymensingh, Sherpur, Netrakona and Kurigram.
Be-Nazir Ahmed said malaria treatment should not be started only depending on symptoms. ‘The physicians should give treatment only after confirming the disease after blood test.’
Malaria symptoms include fever with shivering, vomiting, falling unconscious and weakness. ‘Unwillingness to breastfeed’ was also a symptom of malaria infection to the babies, the experts sad.
Health experts emphasised early diagnosis and treatment, most preferably within 12 to 24 hours and completing the full drug course for curing malaria patients.
According to the Directorate General of Health Services, 11 people died of malaria in Bangladesh in 2012, compared to 154 in 2008, the year set as baseline of millennium development goal.
The MDG targets to reduce malaria-related infection and death by 60 by 2015 (in compare in 2008) in 13 districts.
Be-Nazir Ahmed said they were facing problems in reaching the mosquito breeding spots in the hilly areas as maximum areas are hard to reach.
Among others, programme manager of BRAC Akramul Islam was
present.
newagebd
-With New Age input
