Assam Rifles organises anti-malaria campaign in remote subdivision

Ambassa:  21 battalion of Assam Rifles with cooperation from Health department arranged malaria prevention campaign at the remote bordering subdivision of Gandhara in the northern Tripura district of Dhalai.

The campaign was held at local Ramnagar High School ground where Major Deepak Yadav, Assistant Commandant Dr Shubhrojyoti Lashkar and Dr Chiranjib Das from the Health Department were present.

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In the camp, more than 250 villagers were medically examined and free medicines were also distributed among the villagers.

Malaria is a life-threatening disease caused by parasites that are transmitted to people through the bites of infected female Anopheles mosquitoes. Some population groups are at considerably higher risk of contracting malaria, and developing severe disease, than others. These include infants, children under 5 years of age, pregnant women and patients with HIV/AIDS, as well as non-immune migrants, mobile populations and travellers.

It is preventable and curable. Malaria is caused by Plasmodium parasites. The parasites are spread to people through the bites of infected female Anopheles mosquitoes, called "malaria vectors."

Symptoms 

Malaria is an acute febrile illness. In a non-immune individual, symptoms usually appear 10–15 days after the infective mosquito bite. The first symptoms – fever, headache, and chills – may be mild and difficult to recognize as malaria. If not treated within 24 hours, P. falciparum malaria can progress to severe illness, often leading to death.

Children with severe malaria frequently develop one or more of the following symptoms: severe anaemia, respiratory distress in relation to metabolic acidosis, or cerebral malaria. In adults, multi-organ failure is also frequent. In malaria endemic areas, people may develop partial immunity, allowing asymptomatic infections to occur.

Prevention

Vector control is the main way to prevent and reduce malaria transmission. If coverage of vector control interventions within a specific area is high enough, then a measure of protection will be conferred across the community.