By Revati Bhat - BANGALORE
25th April 2013 08:54 AM
- The problem of water logging in low lying areas and slums of Bangalore is nothing new and these mosquitoes are having a field day getting to breed in these conducive conditions | EPS
With monsoons still far away and the city experiencing killing heat wave conditions, the ubiquitous female Anopheles mosquito has already raised its hydra head.
The problem of water logging in low lying areas and slums of Bangalore is nothing new and these mosquitoes are having a field day getting to breed in these conducive conditions. Malaria continues to be a killer in some of the endemic areas of the city such as Shivajinagar, Domlur, Yelahanka and northern parts of the city.
Raghu, a college student who was infected by malaria, recollects, “I finished my regular classes and was going home along with my friends. I ate a bowl of fruits sold on the roadside. After returning home, I felt uneasy and started vomiting. I fainted and the same night, my temperature shot up steeply. My parents were shocked and took me to the doctor. Suspecting it was malaria, the doctor treated me for more than fifteen days”.
Dr N Prakash, Physician at CSI Hospital says, “The spread of Malaria is usually seen during the months of June-July. It is endemic in the areas of Shivajinagar, Domlur, Yelahanka and in some parts of North Bangalore. Mainly caused by the bite of female Anopheles mosquitoe, one should use mosquito nets, take anti-malarial drugs and ensure good sanitation in the area where they live.”
Malaria is a recurring problem every season in Bangalore with hundreds of slum dwellers falling prey to the deadly bite of these mosquitoes which breed in stagnant waters around the slums.
Today is ‘World Malaria Day’. In 2007, the World Health Assembly, the decision-making body of the World Health Organization recognized the need for global efforts to control malaria and spread information for its prevention and treatment in endemic areas. Now, how many people exactly die of malaria is still a mystery in India?
Malaria is an infectious disease spread by the bite of infected female Anopheles mosquitoes which leads to the symptoms of fever, headache, chills, sweats, fatigue, vomiting, diarrhoea and nausea.
It is a serious disease and sometimes fatal, which is commonly found in Southern Asia, Africa, Central and South America.
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