Newsletter

The monsoon brings with it its usual worries in the form of malaria, which has been raging in this remotest part of northeast India, but the state government is yet to declare a medical emergency/sign of urgency to tackle the prevailing situation.

More than half of the blood samples taken have tested positive for malaria. Many lives are lost to the mosquito borne disease every year and this year the early signs are looking ominous.

''More than 50 per cent here have malaria and not just here, even in Lunglei district and at least four others. Last year also, several people died", said S. Chakma, a government health worker.

''We have tested a thousand samples a month for the last two months. Pf percentage is more which diagnoses to cerebral malaria,'' the Pathologist of a government hospital said.

The remoteness of the area causes most deaths to go unreported. Last year the official count was 30, but local estimates put the figure at 300 in just in Mamit district alone.

The doctors claim that the entire state is now virtually malaria drug resistant.

To be more specific, the whole province is vulnerable to Pf Malaria. Mamit district is leading. South district has been declared as drug resistant. It is a mere epedemic secenerio.

There is an eminent Epidemic scare among the people. Like every year, there is an incidence of one death reported each day in Marpara village itself. And, it is a common sight to see every household tending to a sick person.

The fear of an outbreak is causing village schools to close and markets to shut down early.

''During this season due to malaria, we have just 50 per cent attendance in schools. Malaria is so rampant,'' complained a school teacher at the government school, Marpara village.

Unfortunately, there is not enough medical help at disposal. Most people rely on the traditional quacks for treatment who uses unscientific and untested medicines, a pre-historic mode of medical treatment, often leading to deadly repercussions to the patients. But, do the villagers/the tribal people have any other option?

I fear that unless remedial steps are taken, an epidemic is not far away.