Tripura government has made additional arrangement of doctors and medical team along with medicines following the report of fresh outbreak of malaria in hilly areas of Gandacherra sub-division in Dhalai district.

On September 24, a six years old girl of Nabadapara tribal hamlet died of malaria without treatment while at least 19 persons of different villages of the sub-division were admitted to Gandacherra hospital in the past two days with the complain of high fever and related ailment. 

Health Minister Sudip Roybarman has reviewed the situation with the health administration and directed to mobilise all resources to prevent further spread of malaria and other vector borne diseases in the interior parts of the state.
“Instruction has been given to dispatch medicine and blood testing kits to each of the hamlet along with the health workers.

Health extension workers and ASHA volunteers were alerted and directed to visit each of the houses and ensure shifting of patients immediately to the nearest hospitals,” Roybarman said. He also assured that there is no dearth of medicine and medicos to provide treatment at village level. The authority has been directed to go for health camps and awareness campaign at the grassroot level to motivate the villagers to come to hospital at any health related complication without wasting time.

“The villagers have not yet developed the culture to consult doctor for any health complication rather they prefer to remain at home without proper medication and depend on self-treatment, which doesn’t work anyway because the genetic mutation of bacteria and virus develop natural adaptability,” Roybarman stated.

The BJP-IPFT government in Tripura has given highest priority to improve the healthcare system in the government hospitals up to village level in last six months. Besides recruitment of doctors, the posting of health workers has been rationalised and required intervention has been made to improve service delivery system round the clock. The medicine supply for all indoor patients has been made free of cost and in case supply is not available provisions are there for reimbursement of medicine cost later from the hospitals, he informed.

"Most people do not want to come to hospital due to their past experiences in the government hospitals. Now, it is the biggest challenge for the department to rebuild the lost confidence of the people and convince them to access the public healthcare facilities," Roybarman said adding, “Unless people come to hospitals, it is difficult for the government to ensure everyone is getting the health service they need.”

The doctors in Gandacherra sub-divisional hospital have said that there is sufficient anti-malaria drug and there is no reason to be scared. Apart from that, additional healthcare arrangement has been made to extend the diagnostic facilities to the remotest part of the district.