Mangalore : A software is being developed to monitor the malaria cases reported in the district, said Zilla Panchayat CEO Tulasi Maddineni here on July 8, Tuesday.

Speaking at a meeting on ‘malaria control’ at District Administration office, she said that as per the plan, when a patient is tested positive for malaria in a particular clinic or hospital, a message will be sent to a number furnishing details like name of the patient, ward number (if it is in Mangalore City Corporation limits) or village name (if it is gram panchayat limits).

Once the message reaches the authorities, the volunteers will visit the house of the patient and will destroy the source of mosquito breeding in and around the house and will also monitor the treatment of the patient. The software is likely to be ready by the month end.

The CEO said that all the clinics registered under Karnataka Private Medical Practitioners Act will be included in the software. All the labourers coming to the city for construction work, should be screened for malaria.

Labour department should ensure that labourers are tested for malaria. If they are tested positive, then treatment should be made available to them. There is lack of awareness among people on source destruction in the district, inspite of district boasting of a high literate district.

Deputy Commissioner A B Ibrahim directed Mangalore City Corporation Commissioner and DHO to chalk out an action plan to ensure that all hospitals and clinics in the Mangalore City Corporation limits and in the district report on the Malaria positive cases, within 15 days. There is a need to involve cross section of people in containing malaria cases.

Dr Srinivas Kakkilaya said that Malaria has spread beyond Mangalore. There is a need for urgent measures to contain the diseases. There is a need to destroy sources of malaria breeding centres in Mangalore Airport as a few airport staff have been infected with malaria.

Fogging should be taken up in and around Airport. The authorities should convene a meeting of all the builders in the city limits and ask them to go for rapid diagnostic kits to test malaria on the spot.

The builders should be asked to destroy the source in the construction sites. Nets should be supplied to all the labourers and make sure that they use the nets during night to avoid mosquito bites. There is a need to create awareness among the people on the need to destroy sources of mosquito breeding centres.

Dr Shantharam Baliga said that there is a need for capacity building for the volunteers and fullproof data collection system. District Vector Borne Disease Control Officer Dr Arun Kumar said that tracing the labourers is a challenge for the authorities. Many a time, Malaria is tested negative for Rapid Diagnostic (RD) kit and positive for blood smear test.

No diagnosis of malaria is being taken up in Kadri, Jeppu and Bejau centres. Instead of closing the centre at 5 pm, it would be better to extend the timings.
Nine patients suffering from malaria had died in Dakshina Kannada district in 2014. Mangalore City has recorded 886 cases of malaria in June taking the total number of cases to 3,766 in 2014.

Dakshina Kannada district has recorded 998 cases of malaria in June taking the total number of cases to 4,131 in 2014.