Drive to make India malaria-free to begin from Madhya Pradesh
Bhopal. A campaign to make India malaria-free will begin from Madhya Pradesh. India Malaria Elimination Foundation (IMEF) of Sun Pharma will extend active cooperation in it. the foundation will cooperate in human resources, medicines, tests and increasing awareness about malaria. Company’s MD Shri Dilip Sanghvi met and discussed the issue with Chief Minister Shri Shivraj Singh Chouhan here today. As pilot project, the drive will be launched in districts of Jabalpur division. On Chief Minister’s suggestion, Shahdol, Sidhi, Singrauli and Umaria districts were also included in the pilot project.
It is noteworthy that it was resolved at East Asia Summit (EAS) at Myanmar in November 2014 to make Asia Pacific countries malaria-free by year 2030. Heads of ASEAN countries including Australia, China, Japan, Korea, New Zealand, Russia and America had taken part in the summit. Malaria remains a major challenge in entire India including Madhya Pradesh. Mostly, tribals and people residing in interior areas are affected by it. The disease causes large number of deaths. This also affects economy and productivity.
Eight districts of Jabalpur division are more malaria-prone. The population in division’s 585 villages is about one crore 17 lakh 78 thousand. Malaria Elimination Programme will cover these districts first. Special attention will be paid to save infants, children and pregnant women from malaria. The foundation will extend active cooperation in enhancing awareness regarding malaria and its elimination. People will also be made partners in it. A target has been set to eliminate malaria in all districts of the division in coming few years. According to National Tribal Health Research Centre, this goal can be fully achieved.
The Chief Minister directed to chalk out an action plan to eradicate malaria. He said that malaria can be fully controlled due to expertise and technical assistance of Sun Pharma in collaboration with Madhya Pradesh government. He directed to constitute a joint team of Sun Pharma and concerning officers of the state government and chalk out strategy keeping in view ground level challenges and problems.
Shri Chouhan said that it is right time to launch attack on malaria. He also directed to chalk out an action plan to inform and educate people regarding causes of malaria and measures to prevent it.
Shri Chouhan directed for preliminary preparations for malaria control. He said that technical knowledge and resources should be used in a better way to control malaria with the assistance of government’s health structure and available field staff. The Chief Minister said that the drive under PPP mode will play important role in elimination of malaria from entire country
Shri Sanghvi of Sun Pharma said that infrastructure and arrangements for delivering health services have improved in Madhya Pradesh. He said that like polio, total control over malaria is also possible and several countries have proved it. He said that malaria is a major health hazard in large states like Madhya Pradesh. Maximum malaria cases are reported from tribal areas. Along with health hazard, the disease also affects economy.
The meeting also discussed availability of medicines and local production and distribution of medicated mosquito nets.
Chief Secretary Shri Anthony de Sa, Principal Secretary Health Smt. Gauri Singh, Principal Secretary Medical Education Shri Vinod Semwal, Principal Secretary Industries Shri Mohammad Suleman, Principal Secretary to CM Shri S.K. Mishra and Secretary to CM Shri Hari Rajan Rao were also present on the occasion.
