Kurla, once one of the city’s dirtiest wards, is now an inspiration for its success in curbing malaria. The area has registered a 50% decline in malaria cases in three months.
Kurla, once one of the city’s dirtiest wards, is now an inspiration for its success in curbing malaria. The area has registered a 50% decline in malaria cases in three months. This, despite the lack of infrastructure and proper hygiene in the area that makes it a perfect breeding ground for mosquitoes.
Statistics from the public health department state that Kurla’s slide positivity rate (SPR) fell to 3.28% from 7.37% in March and 5% in April.
The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has now decided to make the ward a model for malaria control in the city.
“We will implement the ‘Kurla model’ across all wards now,” said Manisha Mhaiskar, additional municipal commissioner (Health).
"The ward implemented the standard operating procedures for malaria in letter and spirit," said Mhaiskar. The annual figure also signals a decline, from 6.38% in May 2010. SPR is the number of positive blood smears for the malaria parasite from the total blood smears examined.
The ward had followed the three-tier system in malaria control drive. At primary level, early detection of the virus was undertaken by identifying every case of fever and testing blood samples. Secondly, vector control methods and contact tracing of people was done. At the final level was spraying anti malaria chemicals and fogging activities.
Health officials term SPR is the most accurate indicator predicting epidemic situation as it takes into account blood smears collected through both active and passive surveillance over a period of time.
During March this year, 708 susceptible cases of malaria were detected. The number reduced to 442 in April and 367 last month.
The figures all over the city have shown a decline: Andheri had 355 cases in March which fell to 299 last month. In Bandra, the number of cases fell from 120 to 90 this month. In Byculla, it fell from 391 in March to 327.
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