Disease skips Navi Mum, Thane, claims govt data

Thane: Malaria may be gaining epidemic proportions across the state, but Thane, Navi Mumbai, Ulhasnagar, Kalyan, Bhiwandi and Mira-Bhayander appear immune to the deadly fever, that is if data complied by the state health authorities is to be believed.
    A mere 1,519 cases of malaria have been registered in the last six months (January June 2010) in these six municipal corporations, which have a collective population of over 75 lakh. An unbelievably low count of 10 malaria patients was registered in Ulhasnagar, followed by Bhiwandi (29) and Mira-Bhayander (70) among others.
    Almost all these townships suffer from inadequate health infrastructure and have a history of poor sanitation and water safety measures. Moreover, construction activity is a round-the-year-phenomenon, with hordes of migrant labour and slums a common feature here. Mumbai, with its better health and sanitation facilities, had far more malaria fever cases in the last six months.
    The figures were tabled at a top level meeting presided by public health minister Suresh Shetty in Mumbai on Tuesday.
    Top health department officials, however, are suspicious of the “grossly underestimated figures. For instance, Ulhasnagar, from where 10 malaria cases were reported from January to June 2010, has a population of over eight lakh with almost all buildings illegal. In the powerloom township of Bhiwandi, where the official figure of malaria affected cases is 29, the majority of the over 12-lakh population live in shanties and slums with poor hygenie and dismal sewage disposal facilities.
    “The OPD at the Indira Gandhi municipal hospital has seen a surge in recent times with the daily flow of patients exceeding 1,500 as against the normal 1,100 to 1,200 patients daily. All wards are full and the medical staff has a tough time dealing with the deluge of patients, a doctor at the hospital said.
    Doctors in Mira-Bhayander pointed out that the MBMC does not maintain a proper record of patients suffering from malaria and other diseases. Dr Ajay Sankhe, director of the Bhaktivedanta hospital in Mira Road said, “We have been constantly treating patients with malaria and at any given point there are two malaria patients here.”
    In the Thane, Navi Mumbai and Kalyan-Dombvli municipal corporation areas the malaria cases reported are 825, 383 and 202 respectively. Health authorities said Navi Mumbai corporation has intensified its anti-malaria measures with regular fogging, cleaning water tanks and appointing a Mosquito Abatement Committee.
Rural Areas Affected
Malaria infections have touched alarming levels in tribal pockets of Thane alone with over 2,000 cases registered in Jawahar, Mokhada and Talasari talukas in the last four months. Officials said one death has been reported so far.