Dadeldhura, July 8

As risks of a potential malaria epidemic rose with the onset of monsoon and rising temperatures, the District Public Health Office, Dadeldhura has launched a campaign to fight malaria inner Madhes areas of the district of late.

The office has intensified door-to-door distribution of medicine at various parts of district including Parshuram Municipality, and Jogbudha and Shirsha VDCs.

The office informed that it was launching a campaign similar to the ones launched in the past years to prevent a malaria epidemic in those areas.

Doctor Prakash Darji of Jogbudha Hospital said two patients were diagnosed with malaria a week ago. Many patients visiting the health facility last year from inner Madhes areas were also found to have contracted malaria.

Malaria in-charge at District Health Office Krishna Singh Nayak said that although the government was launching various programmes, including distribution of medicines every year, the situation was aggravating due to lack of awareness among locals.

“The locals do not maintain sanitation around their houses and surroundings. Hence, the problem emerges every year,” lamented Nayak. No deaths have been reported by the disease so far.

A local Lila Joshi said the number of malaria patients increases drastically during monsoon. “Many locals do not manage animal wastes property, increasing the mosquito population,” she said.