AGARTALA, June 27 � With the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare failing to keep its promise, the National Health Mission�s Tripura unit has approached the UNICEF to supply 50,000 medicated mosquito nets, official sources confirmed here on Saturday.
Following a request, the Union Ministry had assured that it would supply 50,000 medicated mosquito nets to the State by April, well before the onset of acute malaria season in June-July.
�Despite repeated requests, the Union Ministry could not supply medicated nets to the State by April prompting us to approach the UNICEF to supply 50,000 specially made nets on urgent basis�, said NHM�s State Mission Director Dr Sandeep K Mahatme.
He said, �We are expecting the mosquito nets from the UNICEF within a short period of time. Since the malaria season has already started we are not in a position to wait, forcing us to procure mosquito nets from UNICEF�.
Claiming that intensity of malaria bites has been very much under control this year, Dr Mahatme said the health administration is keeping a close watch on the situation to prevent spread of malaria.
He said Santir Bazar hospital has been show caused for prescribing medicines to be procured from outside in spite of the fact that the medicines are available at the hospital itself.
According to latest reports, a total of 1,33,753 blood samples have been collected from January to May, 2014, out of which 6,619 cases were diagnosed positive while total death stands at only eight.
In 2014, malaria outbreak created havoc in the entire State taking 96 lives. Of the total collection of blood samples (6.06 lakh), total malaria PF cases stood at 51,240, according to reports which meant malaria casualty was less compared to last year.
