Malaria data encouraging, but there’s still work to do

BMC uses the fog machine to prevent the breeding of mosquitos. File pic/Sayyed Sameer Abedi

This paper's report highlighted that malaria data from the G South ward, which includes Worli and Mahalaxmi, showed a decrease in cases in June compared to last year. The case numbers of G North which includes Dadar, Dharavi and Mahim, remained similar to those of 2023. The two wards have traditionally reported comparatively higher cases of both dengue and malaria.

There has been almost a 60 per cent reduction in malaria cases for June in G South. Last year, the ward reported 93 cases, while this year there were only 39. Prevention and surveillance activities which started in May, according to officials, have borne fruit. There were house-to-house surveys, and individuals who had fever was immediately tested and treated. There were targeted interventions and monitoring of hotspots to ensure they followed BMC protocols such as removing excess water.

This is encouraging and should spur officials into taking similar measures. Each ward must make a concerted effort to show a decreasing graph of cases in the year to come, and the pattern must result in a steady, consistent dip in numbers.

They must actually take it up as a challenge, try to go under the previous year's numbers, then once again next year and the next year. If the number of cases refuses to decline, there must be efforts to find out where the lacunae is and quick solutions found and adopted. This problem can be measured numerically, so the data is staring one in the face.

The monitoring of construction sites is vital, given that the boom is set to continue in Mumbai. House-to-house surveys may yield good results, with residents also being cooperative, a mutual trust bond established, one which is often missing between the BMC and the people. Let the numbers speak and show that initiatives are proving effective.