Malaria cases are on the rise in the villages and internally displaced person camps in Karenni (Kayah) State, and residents need both medication and mosquito nets, according to aid workers for the displaced.
Since May this year, malaria has been prevalent in most Karenni townships, with the number of malaria cases higher among IDPs living in forested areas and members of the resistance forces, the sources said.
A health worker said malaria cases increase during the rainy season, with outbreaks occurring in Mese, Hpasawng, Demoso, Hpruso and Loikaw Townships.
“Most people with fever are testing positive for malaria. It’s not just the IDPs, malaria is also very common in the villages. About six or seven out of ten people definitely have malaria. They test positive for malaria,” said a local from Hpruso township.
The health organizations providing services have to share malaria drugs due to limited supplies.
A health worker advises that people should sleep under mosquito nets and have good immune protection to avoid infection as malaria is transmitted by mosquitoes.
However, local health workers report that there are not enough mosquito nets for the large number of displaced families, so an urgent need has arisen.
“During this time, we need to prevent malaria. Above all, to avoid mosquito bites, people need to sleep under mosquito nets. But not every family has such nets, especially larger families,” explained a local health worker.
The frontline resistance forces are also suffering from malaria and need medication, mosquito coils, repellents and nets for prevention.
A member of the defense forces said: “Comrades returning from Hpasawng and Mawchi often get infected. When we test those who are not well, they test positive for malaria. At the moment, we can only provide mosquito coils for prevention. As we don’t have separate rations, we can’t afford to buy mosquito repellent. We can’t provide mosquito repellent, although it would be best to do so.”
He added that due to shortage of medicines, they cannot provide protection other than mosquito coils to the frontline fighters.
Sent by Kantarawaddy Times.