Malaria lashes hilly Tripura: Is Union Health Minister informed?

Jensi Reang was only two years when she succumbed to malaria. She hailed from a poor tribal family of picturesque Jampui hill in North Tripura District. Jensi’s family made a valiant attempt to save her and rushed to hospital once she complained body ache and high fever. Alas, all efforts of her family and doctors proved futile in the face of rampaging malaria menace.

Jensi’s death is not an isolated case. It is estimated that more than 100 people, 90% of whom are reportedly children below 10 years have died so far during last one month after PF type malaria spread in the State. Poor and helpless tribal families of far flung areas are mostly affected and losing their lives. All the hospitals and village level health care centers are found overcrowded with malaria affected patients. Want of expert medical personnel and medicines recommended to control the PF malaria further aggravated the situation, sources alleged.

Many quarters, without any concrete evidence, are citing poor health care infrastructure, unaccountable health care delivery system etc as main reasons behind the outbreak. A section pointed out utter negligence by the medical personnel in implementing preventive measures like spraying DDT etc. It is true that a combination of these and many other factors have resulted in the outbreak turning dreaded in the State this time over. However, notably though the State was declared drug-resisted Malaria prone in 2009, there was no such outbreak during last two or three years. In the present context without playing blame game, it is important to find out why and how malaria disease remained suppressed during last seasons and why it resurfaced with such degree of vengeance. The Promass Media Research Group strongly advocates for a detailed study of ground realities pertaining to health care system in rural areas to ensure non-occurrence of Malaria outbreak and loss of lives.  

The news on the outbreak has been hitting local and national media daily past one month. However, interestingly, the Union Health Minister Dr. Harsh Vardhan paid no heed to mention about the severe outbreak of malaria in Tripura during his meeting held a couple of days back to review the steps taken to prevent occurrence of Malaria and Dengue in National Capital Region. The meeting was attended, by among others, Health Ministers of Rajasthan and Hariyana, Lt Governor of Delhi. Truly, the meeting was held for evaluating situation in NCR, where 6/8 persons lives were taken out by malaria currently. He even though in the meeting mentioned about few other States in the context. The Honourable Minister, who is also an eminent Doctor could have suggested ways to arrest the mounting death toll in Tripura. What are the reasons behind the scene that has caused him forgotten or otherwise skipped to raise the context of the small NE State? Don't the deaths of far off and tribal people hurt? In the context, the Central Govt cannot put to end its responsibility and commitment only by sending an expert team from the Ministry to the State to visit vulnerable areas. This attitude may not be termed as a manifestation of a deliberate attempt to ignore and neglect the plight of people of the North East. Then what? 

The State Government claimed it has already informed the Central Government and requested to send expert team to the State for second time.