Bhubaneswar, (Reporterspen), April 29: The Odisha government has called upon the Centre to swiftly provide 1.56 crore special mosquito nets to the state to safeguard its populace against malaria.
In a letter addressed to Union Health and Family Welfare Minister Mansukh L Mandaviya, Health and Family Welfare Minister Niranjan Pujari stressed the urgent need to expedite the delivery of 1.5 crore insecticidal nets (LLINs) to Odisha.
Highlighting the significant impact of LLINs in mitigating malaria infections, Pujari noted that the Centre had supplied 1.56 crore LLINs to Odisha in the fiscal year 2020-21. This supply played a pivotal role in protecting highly vulnerable populations and contributed to a notable decline in malaria cases across the state.
The effectiveness of LLINs typically spans three years, with the nets slated for replacement by the Centre in 2023. However, delays in this replacement process, extending nearly a year, have left the state susceptible to a potential surge in malaria cases.
Pujari emphasized the critical need for immediate action, urging the Centre to expedite the supply of 1.56 crore LLINs to Odisha. This, he underscored, is essential to prevent any escalation in malaria caseload and to sustain the progress achieved by the state in reducing the burden of malaria nationwide.
