QUETTA: Balochistan government has launched a campaign against malaria in 21 districts of the province under which awareness would be created about the disease and adequate measures would be taken for its control in view of the arrival of summer season.
This was announced by provincial Health Minister Mir Rehmat Saleh at a press conference here on Sunday. He was accompanied by the provincial health secretary.
The minister said that during the campaign people would be urged to adopt preventative measures to save themselves from the deadly disease. For creating awareness among the masses about the disease, seminars, walks and other programmes would be organised, he added.
Mr Seleh said with the arrival of summer season the provincial government had devised a comprehensive plan to prevent the cases of malaria in the province.
He said 660 centres were being established to diagnose malaria, adding that a ‘Provincial Malaria Reference Centre’ would monitor the performance of these centres.
The minister said the provincial health department would organise programmes to mark the World Malaria Day falling on Monday. Over the past several years the department had organised programmes to mark the day. The department encouraged community-based activities for the prevention of malaria cases. People were informed about the disease and preventive measures, he added.
He said anti-malaria fumigation drives would be launched in areas from where there were reports of stagnant water and presence of mosquitoes.
The minister said around 1.6 million people in Pakistan were reported to be infected with malaria every year.
Published in Dawn, April 25th, 2016