AT 8 pm every day when people in Dogiguda—a village in Odisha’s Malkangiri district—are preparing to go to sleep, it’s time for Seema Haldar, an accredited social health activist (ASHA), to take a round of the village. She moves from one house to another hitting a gong with a stick making a loud metallic sound. The sound is a reminder for residents to put up their mosquito nets before going to bed.
Haldar has been doing this for the past several months. “I am happy my efforts are showing results. Earlier, there used to be around five malaria cases every month in the village. Now there is none as people are using the mosquito nets,” she says.
Amidst the gloom of the covid-19 pandemic, Malkangiri— counted among India’s worst malaria-affected districts—is on a trajectory to be malaria-free. The district has been witnessing a gradual reduction in cases over the last four years. But since July this year, the number of cases began to drastically go down— there was a 63.18 per cent decline between July and October, as compared to the same period in the previous year. According to the district administration, there will be “zero” malaria cases in the district by December.
“The malaria control achievement has happened due to proper planning at the top and effective implementation at the ground levels with the convergence of several departments,” says Sandhyarani Hota, Malkangiri district’s chief medical officer.
MALARIA HOTSPOT
This story is from the {{IssueName}} edition of {{MagazineName}}.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the {{IssueName}} edition of {{MagazineName}}.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
A SPRIG TO CARE FOR
Punarnava, a perennial herb, is easy to grow and has huge health benefits
DIGGING A DISASTER
Soapstone mining near Dabti Vijaypur village has caused many residents to migrate.
REVIEW THE TREATMENT
Several faecal sludge treatment plants in Uttar Pradesh suffer from design flaws that make the treatment process both expensive and inefficient
MAKE STEEL SUSTAINABLE
As India works to double its GDP by 2030, its steel industry must balance growth with sustainability. By embracing policies like the Steel Scrap Recycling Policy 2019 and adopting green technologies, India is paving the way for a more sustainable future in steel production
Can ANRF pull off the impossible for India?
Anusandhan National Research Foundation is expected to reorient India's innovation goals but funding issues, old mindsets remain a drag
TROUBLED WOODS
Forests are a great bulwark against climate change. But this is fast changing. AKSHIT SANGOMLA travels through some of the pristine patches of the Western Ghats to explore how natural disturbances triggered by global warming now threaten the forest health
BLINDING GLOW
The science is clear: increased illumination has damaging consequences for the health of humans, animals and plants. It’s time governments introduced policies to protect the natural darkness and improved the quality of outdoor lighting.
GROUND REALITY
What happens when the soil loses the ability to grow healthy, high-yield crops on its own?
GM POLICY MUST BE FARMER CENTRIC
On July 23, the Supreme Court of India directed the Union government to develop a national policy on genetically modified (GM) crops for research, cultivation, trade and commerce through public consultation.
Vinchurni's Gandhi
A 96-year-old farmer transforms barren land into a thriving forest in drought-prone region of Satara
