Adivasis seeks nets to keep malaria off

A family of Pendore Jangurabi with a mosquito net 

Following the government’s failure to supply them with mosquito nets, some of the some of the Adivasis are buying it on their own to avoid their children being bitten by mosquitoes in the approaching rainy season.

ITDA, Utnoor Project officer RV Karnan appealed to the state government to supply 1.65 lakh bed nets to supply to tribal families in the Adilabad district identified as malaria prone area by the World Health Organization and also National Vector Borne Disease Control (NVBDCP) government of India.

Pendore Jangubai, Bheemjiguda in Jainoor mandal who purchased a mosquito net for her family members said they required it for the protection from mosquito bites during the rainy season.

She said bet nets were supplied long ago to the Adivasis following the more number of Adivaisi’s deaths due to malaria that took place in tribal agency mandals in the district.

The outbreak of epidemic has become common every rainy season in the Adilabad district. However, officials focus more on controlling measures instead preventive measures.

Different types of bed nets are available in markets ranging from Rs 100 –200 and Adivasi parents are purchasing an umbrella type bed nets more to their kids and children.

Bukka Venkateshwarlu, the incharge  Assistant Malaria Officer, said that unused open  wells have become the main source for larva breeding and they were  conducting anti- larva sprays in the unused wells which were located on the outskirts of the Adivasi gudems in Jainoor, Kerameri and  Sirpur (U) mandals which are most malaria-affected.

He informed that they have sent proposals to state and central government though ITDA, Utnoor requesting supply 1.65 lakh bed nets coated with Deltamethrin chemical, which repels mosquitoes. He said 28,000-bed nets were distributed to the Adivasis in 2007-08 to save them from mosquito bites.

It is found that malaria parasite is still active in body of the some of the Adivasis affected with the plasmodium falciparum malaria (PFM) and anopheles mosquitoes will fly and spread up to 4- 5 km distance and it is easy for them to reach villages and spread in the habitations from the unused wells located on the village outskirts.

Some of the illiterate and gullible Adivasis used the bed nets supplied for fishing after using them for just one season.