Jamshedpur: East Singhbhum deputy commissioner Rajiv Ranjan on Monday directed all govt and private healthcare facilities to report every confirmed malaria case to the civil surgeon’s office within 24 hours and ensure treatment begins within the same period, in a bid to contain the spread of the disease.Chairing a workshop on malaria prevention and control at the collectorate, the DC stressed close coordination between govt and private healthcare providers to strengthen surveillance, reporting and treatment. Representatives of private hospitals and nursing homes attended the meeting.Ranjan instructed civil surgeon Dr Sahir Pall to ensure immediate surveillance in households surrounding patients with fever history in malaria-hit blocks, including Potka, Dumaria, Musabani, Ghatshila and Dhalbhumgarh, whenever they visited private healthcare facilities. He emphasised the use of rapid diagnostic tests (RDTs) for prompt detection and treatment.Addressing the media, the DC said six malaria deaths were reported so far.“Four were attributed to cerebral malaria and two to mixed infections. Each death is undergoing a detailed medical review to identify treatment gaps and strengthen the health response. Timely diagnosis and treatment can prevent severe complications and fatalities,” he said.Pall said 1,04,459 people were screened for malaria between June 29 and July 12 at community health centres, urban health centres and Sadar Hospital. Of these, 96,478 were tested through RDTs and 7,981 through microscopic slide examinations.“A total of 1,895 malaria cases were detected during the period, including 1,491 of Plasmodium falciparum (PF), 353 of Plasmodium vivax (PV) and 51 mixed infections, taking the district’s malaria positivity rate to 1.96%,” he said.WHO representative Dr Akhilesh said several Jharkhand districts remain highly endemic for malaria and urged healthcare institutions to remain vigilant and respond with utmost sensitivity, leaving no room for negligence.
