SHIKARPUR, April 3: The district and its adjoining areas are under the onslaught of malaria thanks to the district government’s failure to take preventive measures and carry out anti-mosquito spray before the onset of spring, which is breeding period for the insect in areas with hot weather.

Malaria Superintendent Mohammad Thaaral Channa that more than 100 positive cases of malaria had been reported at all the malaria centres in the four talukas of the district over the past three months.

He said that the number of malaria patients was likely to increase in April and the following months and stressed the need for launching anti-malaria campaign.

He said that malaria staff including malaria supervisors had been asked to collect and test blood and provide treatment to patients under Malaria Control Programme in the areas worst hit by the disease.

The programme, which was launched in 1964 and continued till 1978, had helped rid the urban and rural areas of the district of malaria, he said.

Mr Channa said that the district government had carried out fumigation of Delta Methrin oil in the city and rural areas under his supervision. Ultra

Low Valium (ULV) machine had been used to kill the malaria-causing mosquitoes, he added.

He said that he required the recommended anti-mosquito drugs, BHC, DDT powder and Delta Methrin to start spray against mosquitoes and he had written to high officials of his department in this regard.

He said that he had four ULV fumigation machines, 24 old and three new hand sprayers in working condition but they would not be sufficient for carrying out spray in the district.

People recalled that in past anti-malaria mobile teams used to provide medical treatment to patients at their doorsteps and a malaria supervisor was posted in each union council who helped patients get relief. But now only 27 malaria supervisors were posted 23 of 50 union councils, they said.

They demanded that the secretary of health should restart the malaria eradication programme and post malaria supervisors at union council level to control and eradicate the disease through spray and medical treatment facilities.