Kolkata: The number of people suffering from malaria has drastically gown down in Kolkata in 2020 due to the sustained anti-larvae drives conducted by the Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC).
A senior official of KMC said between January and July 2019, more than 1,700 cases of malaria had
been detected in Kolkata against 500 cases detected in the same months in 2020.
The official said this has been possible due to the sustained campaigned launched by the civic authorities. The city has been divided into several zones where the civic workers of the
Health department made house to house visit.
The Kolkata Municipal Corporationhas requested people suffering from fever to visit the urban health units which are situated in every ward to get the blood samples tested. If found positive, the KMC gives anti malaria drug free of cost.
Dr Debashis Biswas, chief Vector Control officer said in many areas the people have become conscious and are keeping their houses and flats clean. They are even cleaning the containers that are used to store water once in a week. But few people are conscious about the accumulation of water on the roof. The accumulated water serve as the breeding ground for mosquitoes.
"Health workers have not only found accumulation of water on the roof due to clogging of the rainwater pipes, but empty containers with covers missing. This is happening in many tall buildings. Unless the residents cooperate with the civic body it is difficult to eradicate the disease."
Many house owners are not allowing KMC workers to go to the roof because of the fear of COVID- 19 pandemic.
The civic authorities have instructed the workers to talk to them and try to convince them so that they get access to the roof.