November 27, 2001	Tuesday	Ramazan 11, 1422

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BADIN, Nov 26: Cerebral malaria is on the rise in Badin district where many people belonging to various villages are suffering from the disease.

The mosquito is said to be extremely deadly. Their numbers seem to be rising by the day due to filth and stagnant water lying all around.

Inquiries at the health institutions in the district revealed a sharp rise in the patients of cerebral malaria, which has proven to be highly fatal if not diagnosed and treated at an early stage.

It is also feared that a large number of patients suffering from the disease might by dying unreported due to the absence of adequate and timely treatment.

Doctors said that the majority of the general practitioners, especially in rural areas, to whom patients go tend to confuse cases of cerebral malaria with meningitis and encephalitis as a consequence of which harmful complications are caused.

They emphasized the need for creating more awareness among the general practitioners for timely detection and treatment of cerebral malaria, which causes death within a week’s time.

Recently, two women — Noor Khatoon and Bakhtawar Chandio — and a girl — Rabeel Chandio — were admitted at the Civil Hospital Badin where both Noor and Rabeel died while Bakhtawar, who had gone into a state of coma, was sent to a hospital in Hyderabad.

Dr Haneef Kumbhar, Civil Hospital Badin, told newsmen that all three had been suffering from cerebral malaria.

Dr Z.A. Hyderi explained that since the parasites causing cerebral malaria live in the red blood cells of the brain they multiply rapidly. The blood cells of the brain rupture within a few days of the invasion by plasmodium falciparum releasing them in the blood stream, which results in the patient’s death.