SYLHET June 5: Though the Health Department has taken up some measures to che< k lurther -outbreak of Malaria the situation is yet to show any sign of improvement in the districts of Sylhet and Sunanigtuij.

The killer disease has already claimed more than seven hundred lives in the region, sources informed Besides, more than fifty thousand others were new suffering from the disease in different thanas.

The overall situation has taken a serious turn due to the absence of sufficient arrange ment to take preventive steps and providing necessary treatment for the patients. Most of the patients are dying as they can not reach the Thana Health Complex or the makeshift medical camps set up in some areas mainly due to the bad communication system. It may be stated here that, most of the affected areas are in the remote villages where even smooth road communication or easy riverine communication is absent.

Besides, the economic condition of those people is also not sound. People in thousands in number have become panicky as the killer disease had broken out in a quasi-epidemic form in the region. Besides, the disease has been spreading fast.

According to the reports received from different areas, the total number of deaths caused by the killer disease now stands at 702. in the re-, giou. However, the government sources confirmed only 321 deaths adding that, the number of malaria .patients would be about thirty thousand.

But the actual number of pa tients would be more than fifty tliousand. The number was also on increase, sources claimed.

The official control Room opened at the Civil Surgeon office In Sylhet confirmed only 66 deaths in Gowainghat. 41 in Jaintapur. 13 in Companyganj and one in the Sylhet sadar thana, till May 30. But the unofficial sources reported 89 deaths in Gowainghat. 65 fn Jaintapur. 55 in Companyganj. one In Kanalghat and one in sadar thana. The official control room also reported that only 28,349 people had been attacked by the disease In the four thanas of the district. It also informed that 14 makeshift Medical camps had also started working in different areas.

The source further informed that. Blood had been collection from 8880 suspected patients in the four affected thanas. Of this. Test of 7963 persons had already been done which showed a total of 1263 people were carrying .the malarial germ named PV. while 456 others were carrying the germ named PF

In the district of Sunam-ganj. the killer disease Cerebral Malaria' has claimed at least five hundred people In Dearabazar. Tahirpur. Dharam-pasha. Blswambharpur and sadar, thana. The official sources however confirmed only 200 deaths. It includes. 55 were in Ranagrarchar union of sadar thana. 39 in Darabazar, 36 in Dhramapasha. 32 in Tahirpur and 36 in Blswambharpur thanas. The source further Informed that. Blood Test of 26.113, people tp the these five thanas

showed that 9213 people had been carrying the germa of Malaria. A control Room had also been started in the Civil Surgeons office in Sunamganj

The Director-General of Health, professor AK Shamsuddin Siddiquee visited some of the Malaria affected areas in Sylhet and Sunamganj districts this week. On his way back to the Capital, the DG informed the newsmen about the measures taken up to bring the situation under control. He also said that. Spraying of DDT had already been started, as well as sufficient stock of necessary medicines had also been en-‘sured.

Meanwhile, the Deputy Minister for Health Sirajul Haque while visiting some Malaria affected areas in the Sunamganj sadar thana expressed his dissatisfaction over the activities of the health workers. He also warned them and said stringent measures would be taken up against the workers who would be found not serving properly in Malaria Prevention programme. The Health Deputy Minister ordered for immediate sinking of 200 tubewells in Rangar-char union and ordered for sanctioning an Ambulance for carrying the Malaria patients to the health centres or medical camps from the villages. He also sat with the health workers and officials in meeting to review the lates situation on Saturday in Sunamganj.

Meanwhile, treatment of the patients is being greatly hampered in the remote villages mainly due to the poor communication system. There are allegations against the health workers that, they were

not visiting the affected villages. A number of union patishad- chairmen had brought the allegations about the activities of the health workers.

A number of Physicians working In the affected areas while talking to this correspondent said that, when a rare type of mosquite named Maculetus bites someone, the patient becomes unconscious and brain haemorrhage causes his death with 24 to 72 hours. The germ carried by maculetus mosquito is termed Felciferum. said a physician. They also alleged that, treatment of patients Is being greatly hampered due to the absence of necessary transport. The authorities are yet to arrange boats for the medical men. As most of the affected villages are located In the remote areas, where boat Is the only means of communication.

The Deputy Civil Surgeon of SunamgonJ. Dr Abdul Karim told BSS about 70'per cent of the people who once received treatment are again reporting to the doctors with malaria fever, this is because they did not complete the fourse of malaria drug they were given earlier. Repeated bites of malaria germ carrying mosquitoes are also causing the reemergence of malaria germs in the body, he observed.

The Civil Surgeon of Sylhet Dr G M Mahmud also described the same experience. He, however, said directives have been given to the health workers to properly motivate the affected people so that they would complete their drug courses.