The country’s 72 upazilas of 13 districts including Chattogram Hill Tracts are still vulnerable to malaria, a deadly mosquito-borne disease.
In the last calendar year (2019) 17,225 malaria cases were reported and nine died of the disease. The number of infections and deaths from the disease has decreased by 69 and 76 per cent respectively in 2019 than that of 2010.
The figures were revealed at an online press briefing on Saturday organised by the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) marking World Malaria Day with the theme ‘Zero Malaria Starts with Me’.
DGHS Director (Disease Control) Dr Shahnila Ferdousi, World Health Organization (WHO) Representative to Bangladesh Dr Bardan Jung Rana and its Medical Officer (Communicable Disease) Dr Mya Ngon Sapal joined the online session.
Dr Afsana Alamgir Khan, deputy programme manager of the National Malaria Elimination and Aedes Transmitted Diseases of DGHS, presented a keynote paper at the event.
Dr Shahnila Ferdousi mentioned various initiatives taken by the government so far to help contain the communicable disease.
“The government is now working to completely uproot malaria in tune with the WHO declaration,” she said, adding that the object is also a component of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
According to the keynote presentation, 829 malaria cases were reported in Bangladesh during the first quarter of this year, which is 37 per cent higher than the corresponding period of last year (2019).
The Chattogram Hill Tracts are the most vulnerable to the disease.
