Kohima | March 19 : The surveillance activities of Nagaland’s National Vector Borne Disease Control Programme (NVBDCP) have been received well by Dr. P.L. Joshi, Director of NVBDCP in Delhi at the 3rd Regional Review meeting today. The meeting thoroughly reviewed ongoing activities of the NVBDCP programme in the NE states. Further strategies for prevention and control of Malaria, Japanese Encephalitis and Dengue were deliberated upon.
Speaking at the inaugural function, Dr. Joshi congratulated Nagaland for its improvement on surveillance activities in the state. Stressing on the need to strengthen the system to prevent and control malaria, the director said it must focus on the grass root level and elected representatives so they think and have concern about the burden of diseases and how to prevent them. Dr. Joshi said today’s technology has enable detection at the grass root level and so the need to train the manpower. He called for training ASHAs workers and that they are to be provided with available drugs. Surveillance workers in Nagaland need to be trained, he said.
Dr. Joshi also called for active involvement of civil society and faith-based organizations; training is essential and drugs and diagnosis kits may be provided so diseases can be ‘detected.’ Talking on importance of social mobilization, he regretted that people are not coming forward to seek treatment, for which, he said, behavior change in preventive aspect is needed.
Director of Nagaland Health Services Dr. TL Nakhro in his keynote address said Malaria, has been a major health hazard in many countries including India. In India, Malaria is still considered to be the single-largest killer disease negatively impacting socio-economic development of the country. The NE states itself ‘contributes’ 8.5- 11% of total Malaria cases and (13-15% of total malaria mortality in the country).
Dr. Nakhro said that Nagaland improved its surveillance activities. The Annual Blood Examination Rate stands at 6.8 % during 2008 and 7.8 % in 2009. Prevalence rate is at 2008- 835 (14 % of total positive cases) and 2009- 2893 (34 % of total positive cases).
“Therefore, we presumed that the rise in statistics report is an indicator of better performance in surveillance activities,” he said. Referring to Japanese Encephalitis, he said 6 cases were detected in Dimapur with one death and another in Mokokchung in 2007. There was none in 2008. In 2009, there were 9 cases in Dimapur and in Mokokchung, 2 deaths. He suggested that although the NVBDCP management in Nagaland is well-prepared, it can be enhanced by setting up a laboratory for Japanese Encephalitis in Dimapur and more intensive training of medical personnel.
On dengue, Dr. Nakhro informed that 25 positive cases were detected in October 2009 in Dimapur. No death was reported. Preventive measures were taken effectively, he said. “Since eradication of malaria/vector borne disease is not possible as along as Mosquito exist it should be our endeavor to maintain that no one should suffer or die from Malaria or any of other Vector borne diseases,” he added.

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