 In Bangladesh, 13 districts in the north
and north-east facing the Indian states of Assam and Meghalaya and a small common border
with Myanmar with an estimated population of 12 million, are at a high risk of
malaria. Four hill tract districts have the highest incidence of cases and are also
reporting drug resistant forms of malaria (P.falciparum malaria, which is resistant
to Chloroquine and Sulphadoxine Pyrimethamine combination).
Under the Roll Back Malaria
(RBM) initiative which started in 1999, one of the affected hill tract districts,
Banderban, together with three adjoining "Upazilas" (Sub-districts) of
Cox’s Bazar district were selected for piloting RBM. This encompasses an area of
5,523 sq. km with a population of 770,993. About 40% of the population in Banderban hill
tract district belong to the different tribal communities.
During 1998 a total of 35,488 cases were clinically diagnosed and
treated; out of which 22,665 cases of malaria were confirmed through microscopic
examination of blood films. That year, 142 deaths were reported due to malaria. In 1999, a
total of 32,174 clinical cases, 21,832 confirmed cases and 131 deaths were reported from
malaria. The majority, over 90% of the cases were P. falciparum.
After conducting a
situation analysis in the RBM pilot district and a stock taking of the health
infrastructures and services,major interventions that are being pursued include: |
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l Increasing accessibility to early diagnosis and
prompt treatment;
l Intensive
IEC through partnership with local social and cultural organizations, youth
organizations, tribal centres, schools, and selected NGOs;
l Improving
management of severe and complicated malaria through providing training to the
doctors, nurses, village doctors, and health workers;
l Promoting use of Insecticide Treated Mosquito Nets (ITMN)
through partnership with the community and strengthening surveillance. |
| A family sleeping securely
in an insecticide treated mosquito net. |
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