Take preventive measures to check spread of malaria, advise experts
“Any fever can potentially be malaria,” warned Civil Surgeon Dr Rajeev Parashar during a district-level event held to mark World Malaria Day (April 25). The awareness event emphasised the importance of public vigilance and community action in the fight against malaria.
Dr Parashar explained that malaria is a life-threatening disease caused by Plasmodium parasites and is transmitted through the bite of infected female Anopheles mosquitoes. “The disease peaks during summer and monsoon season due to a surge in mosquito breeding,” he noted.
He urged the public to take preventive measures by eliminating stagnant water around homes and avoiding the accumulation of waste, especially during the rainy season. “Just a spoonful of water is enough for the mosquito larvae to breed,” he said, adding that old tyres, unused containers and scrap should not be allowed to accumulate water.
“Though small in size, mosquitoes are dangerous vectors of diseases like malaria, dengue and chikungunya,” he cautioned, highlighting that both day and night-time mosquito bites can lead to infections.
Dr Arshbir Kaur described the common symptoms of malaria, which include fever, headaches, chills, vomiting and body aches accompanied by shivering.
District Epidemiologist Dr Nandita Khullar shared that the Health Department conducts regular awareness campaigns to educate the public on vector-borne diseases. “Every Friday is observed as ‘Dry Day’ to eliminate potential mosquito breeding grounds, and Gambusia fish are released into ponds to control larvae,” she said.
The event also featured the release of a malaria awareness poster and was attended by various health officials. including Assistant Civil Surgeon Dr Annu Sharma, DDCHO Dr Kapil Dogra, Dr Meenakshi, Dr Navpreet Kaur, Dr Rajeev Bhagat, Superintendent Ram Avtar, Deputy Mass Media Officer Sharandeep Singh, AMOs Balkar Singh and Sukhwant Singh, BCC coordinator Jyoti Anand, BEE Ravinder Jassal, SI Gurbeer Singh, Baljit Singh, Surinderpal Singh and MLT Amarjeet Singh.
