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LATEST NEWS UPDATES | Why bug battle has lost its sting-ASRP Mukesh

Why bug battle has lost its sting-ASRP Mukesh

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published Published on Nov 12, 2012   modified Modified on Nov 12, 2012
-The Telegraph

Ranchi: Vector control is a baseless charade in Jharkhand, which grapples with a host of maladies like dengue, malaria, chikungunya, kala-azar and filaria every year and yet lacks a single specialist who can analyse and effectively arrest the scourge.

Four posts of entomologists — two each for Ranchi and Hazaribagh zones — and two of assistant entomologists have been lying vacant for at least two years for reasons best known to government mandarins. But, this fundamental snag in the health machinery has left the state very vulnerable to vector-borne diseases, which have officially claimed 20 lives this year alone.

Of the 240 suspected cases of dengue — caused by the Aedes aegypti breed of mosquito — 57 have tested positive. Alarmingly, most of the victims are from urban centres like steel cities Jamshedpur and Bokaro, as well as Hazaribagh, Deoghar and Dumka, which are supposed to be better equipped in terms of healthcare than their rural cousins. Ranchi has had a close shave, with only a few suspected cases. Bokaro reported one unconfirmed dengue death.

If a six-year-old study conducted by New Delhi-based Institute of Malaria Research is to be taken into account, dengue wasn’t reported in Jharkhand till 2006. Between September and November that year, around 1,000 suspected cases were reported, of which 13 were confirmed as that of dengue. Ever since, the disease has been resurfacing in the state every year.

Similarly, of 2,00,000 suspected cases of malaria, borne by the deadly Anopheles, some 20,000 have tested positive. Official figures show 12 deaths this year in Latehar, Jamshedpur and Garhwa.

According to health department records, filariasis — a parasitic disease transmitted by the Culex mosquito — has also stalked over 1.5 lakh people across the state in the past decade. Of them, one lakh are affected by lymphatic filariasis and 50,000 by filarial hydrocele. The government hopes to make the state free of filariasis by 2015, but much is left to one’s imagination in the absence of entomologists.

These bug specialists, as they are crudely called, assess the nature, behaviour, virulence and geographic presence of vectors like mosquitoes. They can study threadbare which genus of a particular vector affects a human being and how. Such investigations help conceptualise effective intervention measures.

Insiders in the health department said Jharkhand doesn’t have a single sanctioned post of state-level entomologist. “There is someone working on contract basis, albeit without required facilities. There is no vehicle for mobility, no laboratory for tests, manpower for conducting regular monitoring — the problems are unending. It is a very unfortunate situation,” said an official of the state health department.

He added that while the four sanctioned entomologist posts were lying vacant for over two years now, that of assistant entomologists — one each for Ranchi and Hazaribagh — have also remained empty for a long time.

“Many other states, take for example Karnataka, doesn’t report any mosquito-borne diseases. Reason: every district has an entomologist for regular monitoring that is done on daily basis. Here, there are only four posts, which too are vacant. It is frustrating to see how the government functions here,” another health department employee said, adding that a proposal for setting up a dedicated vector lab and roping in more entomologists had been gathering dust for eternity.

Health secretary K. Vidyasagar could not be contacted for comment.

State director of National Rural Health Mission A.B. Siddique promised to fill up vacant posts as soon as possible. “Last week, a review meeting at the level of health secretary took place, where we decided to fill up vacant posts. Not that we don’t have entomologists at all, one is already there on contract basis. But, there is need to fill up vacant posts at zonal level, which we will do soon,” he added.

A senior official conceded that establishing a vector lab in Jharkhand was also on the agenda at the recent health meeting in Delhi.

“But, things are yet to be formalised. The project will take time,” he added.

The Telegraph, 12 November, 2012, http://www.telegraphindia.com/1121112/jsp/frontpage/story_16186544.jsp#.UKBl0Gcm7KQ


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