Cases of malaria are being reported in the relief camps of the riot-hit BTC area, but doctors and other health officials claim that the number of cases is very small and there is nothing to panic. They added proper measures are being taken to ensure that the disease doesn't reach the status of an epidemic in the camps. The total number of malaria cases reported from the camps of Kokrajhar, Chirang, Dhubri and Bongaigaon is 59.

PJ Gogoi, regional director, health and family welfare, said, "We are conducting screening programmes and proper medicines are being administered and DDT is being sprayed in the camps regularly."

Jayanta Narlikar, DC Kokrajhar, said, "There are only about 50-60 cases reported till now and we are spraying a lot of DDT in and around the camps. We have also distributed over 2,000 mosquito nets in the camps. So far, we are taking utmost care to ensure that the situation doesn't go out of hand and we are doing our best to prevent an outbreak."

Uttam Brahma, district programme manager, Kokrajhar, said, "Though the situation is improving now, this is the monsoon season and during this time we do get reports of malaria outbreaks. In the camps too, a few malaria cases have been reported, but there is nothing to be worried."

Malaria has always been a problem for the people of the state, especially during the monsoon, even though the health department claims to carry out awareness programme every year, besides spreading DDT and distributing mosquito nets. The official said that proper measures are being taken to ensure that the number of cases do not increase.

"We are trying to maintain proper hygiene in the camps and we have distributed specially-treated mosquito nets for the inmates recently," he said.

Other than malaria, cases of dysentery, diarrhoea and respiratory tract infection were also reported amongst the children from two to four years in the camps, after which a special kit and medicines were distributed among the camp inmates.

"Malaria is very normal in the season and it is not occurring only in the camps. proper measures are being taken and things are under control," he added.

* Author: TNN
* News story courtesy TNN