Malaria Control Dept grapples with staff shortage in Faridabad

Bijendra Ahlawat

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Faridabad, July 15

At a time when the district has reported its first cases of malaria and dengue this season, the Malaria Control Department is grappling with an acute shortage of staff. There are only 119 employees in the department against the sanctioned strength of 173 posts.

Besides, only 105 of the 134 total posts of multi-purpose health worker have been filled. Nine of the 29 multi-purpose health supervisor posts are also lying vacant. The government is yet to fill two posts of senior malaria inspector and four posts of lab technician.

Meanwhile, the Health Department also claimed to have launched a drive to contain the spread of vector-borne diseases as the district reported three dengue and two malaria cases.

The Malaria Control Cell of the Health Department collected 3,500 samples of blood from suspected patients. Of these, a total of five cases were found positive for malaria/dengue, according to the department sources.

A doctor said the department has started collection of blood samples and preparing slides of patients reporting with fever. Claiming that the number of the cases found positive so far had been nominal and not a cause of concern, he said the department had already prepared around 1.10 lakh slides for the detection of mosquito-borne diseases since January 1.

The drive to check spots prone to the breeding of mosquito larvae has been intensified in view of the incidence of waterlogging and accumulation of wastewater due to rainfall in the residential pockets in the city, said department officials.

At least 265 notices have been served for the presence of mosquito larvae at various spots, including residential premises, said one of the officials.

Dr Ram Bhagat, Deputy Chief Medical Officer (CMO) and in-charge of the Malaria Department, said various measures like the inspection of possible germination or breeding spots and collection of blood samples had been underway. Besides, notices were served over detection of mosquito larvae, and Gambusia fish that eats the mosquito larvae were released in water bodies, he added.