By Rafiullah Mandokhail,
ZHOB: “Over seven thousands people have been screened for malaria, out of them 1137 plasmodium vivax while 497 plasmodium falciparum positive cases have been reported in the last one month in Zhob district that falls in high risk region for the disease.”
This was revealed by District Coordinator Malaria Control Programme, Balochistan Rural Support Programme while talking to journalists here on Saturday.
He said that BRSP with the financial support of Indus Hospital has been struggling to deal with malaria in the remote district of Zhob. The organization is running total 44 microscopy centers and Rapid Diagnostic Testing centers in both public and private health facilities in the district to diagnose and treat the patients against the ailment. Sabakzai, Khojalzai, Laka Band, Churmawala and Shaghalo union councils are the high risk areas of the district where most of the positive cases have been found.
“BRSP with the financial support of The Indus Hospital is running its malaria control programme in eleven districts including Zhob and Sherani. BRSP is providing anti-malarial drugs to those who are tested positively and RDT kits to the facilities in order to prevent malaria in the district”, he said, adding thousands of people including women and children suffering from malaria have been tested and treated free of cost at the proposed health facilities in far-off areas of the district,” the coordinator explained.
Besides the provision of medicines and kits he said, BRSP is also holding awareness sessions about malaria, its causes, symptoms and preventive measures in urban and rural areas. He added.
Health experts say, malaria is caused by a parasite called Plasmodium. Children and women are the high-risk groups for malaria; particularly women during their pregnancy. The factors responsible for malaria spread are including lack of quality health services, inadequate sewerage system and poverty.
