Till June this year, 166 cases of malaria have been detected at the Margao Urban Health Centre. Out of the 166, 143 were vivax, while 23 cases were falciparum malaria. 

The Directorate of Health Services has issued 4,986 health cards, mostly of construction workers, in the month of June itself and renewed another 1,570 in the same month giving an indication of the onerous task ahead of monitoring these always-on-the-move construction workers for malaria.

Health officials said after the spurt of malaria cases in 2006, 2007, 2008 there has been a decline of at least 45 per cent in 2009. But we are closely watching the situation because the rains began late and still another three months are left, they observed.

 The state has been witnessing a dramatic rise in the number of malaria cases over the past 2-3 weeks, which the medical fraternity said was due to ?erratic? monsoon witnessed in Goa this year. Prior to the monsoon, Malaria cases were on the down turn this year as compared to last year.According to information provided by Dr Deepak Kabadi, deputy director of health services in charge of vector borne diseases, said that there was possibility of increase of number of cases of malaria at the moment due to the ?favourable?

On the occasion of World Malaria Day on April 25, GOACAN has called upon the Directorate of Health Services to prepare a people’s plan to roll back malaria considering the fact that the vector borne disease is spreading in various villages, resulting in the illness of people and even deaths.