Unhygienic Living Conditions Fueling Rise in Malaria Deaths: Indian Doctors

About 90-95% of malaria cases are reported in the rural areas, contributing to the biggest burden in India, while 5-10% are from the urban areas.

As we commemorate April 25th as the World Malaria Day, it is of vital importance to raise awareness about this infectious disease that spreads through mosquitoes.

India has a higher prevalence of this disease and the World Health Organization’s 2014 report showed that there were 1.6 million confirmed cases of malaria in India and 400-1000 deaths annually.

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‘A poll conducted among doctors revealed that about 1 in 3 doctors blame increase in deaths due to malaria was because of unhygienic living conditions in India.’

About 90-95% of malaria cases are reported in the rural areas, contributing to the biggest burden in India, while 5-10% are from the urban areas. Adding to this, India faced a rise in malaria deaths from 400 to 600 in the year 2013.

As the malarial burden keeps agitating in the country, a survey was conducted by Curofy, India’s largest community of doctors, to find out what they think as the main cause of malaria deaths. The options were a lack of awareness, lack of health care services in rural India, incomplete treatment or unhygienic living conditions.

About 1300 doctors participated in the poll and out of that, about 32% said that increase in deaths due to malaria was because of unhygienic living conditions.

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Malaria is a preventable and curable disease and World Malaria Day’s objective is to concentrate on prevention and cure. Every year, April 25 is commemorated as World Malaria Day.

Malaria is a vector-borne disease and unhygienic conditions such as stagnant water, waste disposal favors the growth of mosquitoes, in turn accelerating the spread of malaria.

About 12% of doctors thought that lack of proper healthcare services in the rural areas was the reason behind malaria deaths. 26% of the doctors said that lack of awareness about the disease and its spread was the barrier behind eliminating the disease and preventing its spread. Only 18% think that incomplete treatment which leads to drug resistance is the culprit behind malaria-related deaths in India.

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Mudit Vijayvergiya, Co-founder Curofy said, “The results of the poll along with the statistics show that we need to work in a lot of areas as a society to make India malaria free. From spreading awareness amongst the masses to providing healthcare services in the deep dredges of our society, we have a long way to go.”

Source-Medindia