VILLAGE NEWS
World Malaria Day
Thursday, April 25, 2019
Amrita SeRVe health workers are continuously visiting homes to give awareness on several preventable infectious diseases such as malaria. While visiting houses, they check that the water containers (drums and water coolers) are regularly maintained.
Nearby drains are kept clean to avoid mosquitos from breeding in the stagnant water. Regular cleaning drives (Amala Bharatam Campaign, ABC) are conducted through village coordinators and health workers or visit this site right here.
According to The World Malaria Report 2018 by WHO, globally there were an estimated 219 million malaria cases and 435 000 related deaths in 2017. Most of the cases and deaths (70%) were concentrated in ten African countries and India. The most vulnerable group is children under five years old and pregnant women.
For treating malaria-related anaemia, the health workers are promoting consuming iron-rich food, leafy vegetables, and for pregnant women iron-folic tablets, which the government is providing. Working at the grass root level, Amrita SeRVe health workers are in the key role to bring awareness to their communities on how to prevent and cure malaria.
They are the link and spokeswomen between villagers and the professional health care system taking serious cases to the local Primary Health Centre.