Thirteen emergency medical teams with sufficient stocks of medicines are working round the clock to keep the malaria situation under control in Bandarban, bordering Myanmar and India.

Sources in the Civil Surgeon's office said 80 per cent of tne patients, admitted to health complexes of seven thanas of the district, were detected carrying the malaria germ.

Dr Ahmed Kabir, Civil Surgeon of Bandarban. told BSS that malaria breaks out in the district every year from May to

September.

He said 47 persons have died of malaria in six months till July this year and about 27,000 others have been attacked.

Since adequate measures have been taken by the Health Department, the number of deaths has reduced this year in comparison to the previous year. But treatment facilities are being hampered due to the shortage of physicians.

"Out of seventy posts only 21 doctors were posted in seven thanas of the district." he added

The World Health Organisation has identified ten bordering districts of the country including Bandarban. as high risk areas.

They urged the government to set up a malaria control hospital in the region on emergency basis to make the region malaria free.