Malaria has been a menace for the people of Tripura especially in the hard-to-reach areas in the hilly terrain and forests of Tripura, said Chief Minister Dr. Manik Saha attending the Asia Pacific Leaders Conclave on Malaria Elimination organized at Hyatt Regency, New Delhi on Monday.

He said, in the year 2014, Tripura experienced a devastating outbreak of Malaria when 51,240 persons were detected with Malaria and 96 valuable lives were lost. In 2016, 32,525 persons were detected with Malaria and 14 persons were dead. Since then, screening has been scaled up, which has now increased to 22.15% of population in 2022, which is almost double than that of 2016. The number of cases came down to 12,771 cases, being 1/4^th than that in 2014.

The Chief Minister informed, 10.06 lakh Long Lasting Insecticide Treated Bed Nets (LLIN) have been distributed in 2015-16, and 1.80 lakh LLIN were distributed in 2018-19 and 9.25 lakh LLIN were distributed in 2019-20. More 1.80 lakh LLIN are ready and will be distributed in 2023-24.

Addressing the conclave, the Chief Minister also said that vector control measures are being taken up in the form of Larvicidal fish and Temephos spray. Awareness activities are being carried on over the state with focus to endemic areas through various activities.

The Chief Minister informed, with all around support from the Government of India, Global Fund through National Vector Borne Disease Control Program, technical support from all scientific organizations like ICMR, the state is now better equipped to fight Malaria. Now the state is having 3 cases per 1000 population with a cure rate of almost 100%. With a robust Primary Health Care system in Tripura having 104 PHCs, 1018 sub-centres upgraded to Health and Wellness Centres with presence of almost one sub-centre in every village and 7728 ASHA sisters in the state, close access to the community residing in the far flung areas could be possible. He said, through Pradhan Mantri Ayushman Bharat Health Infrastructure Mission, Tripura is now in a position to envision eliminating Malaria. The Chief Minister hoped to achieve Malaria elimination in line with the national timeline of Malaria elimination by 2030 with intensified effort. Health Ministers from different state, representatives of WHO and representatives of different Asian countries attended the Conclave.