Malaria cases on the rise in Bajura

Bajura, August 25

The number of malaria patients is increasing in mountainous Bajura district.

Malaria infection spread by mosquitoes is uncommon in mountainous districts, given their cold climatic condition.

As many as 26 malaria patients were treated at Primary Health Centre, Kolti, in the past one month, according to health workers at the facility.

District Public Health Office, Bajura, said malaria cases were also being increasingly reported at other health facilities of the district, of late. “It was the first-ever case of malaria in the district,” said District Public Health Officer Ramesh Kunwar.

With rising temperatures, malaria was detected in patients hailing from Badimalika and Budhinanda, among other low altitude areas of the district, said Dr Bijay Kumar Sah of Kolti-based heath centre. “No malaria case had been witnessed at this health facility in the past. However, scores of malaria patients have been admitted here in the past one month,” said Dr Sah.

The disease is typically transmitted to human beings and other animals through the bite of an infected Anopheles mosquito. Fever, fatigue, nausea and headache are some common symptoms of the disease. If the disease aggravates, the skin of such patients may turn pale and patients may die.

The government has been launching various programmes with the aim of eradicating malaria from the country by 2025.

Those programmes are mainly focused in 65 of the 75 districts, which the government has categorised as high risk areas for the disease. “The government needs to launch programmes for prevention and eradication of malaria in Bajura,” said Kunwar.