Odisha Health Minister Urges Immediate Supply of Insecticidal Nets to Combat Malaria

Bhubaneswar: Odisha’s Health & Family Welfare Minister, Niranjan Pujari, has raised concerns over the delay in the supply of 1.5 crore insecticidal nets (LLIN) to the state, urging Union Health & Family Welfare Minister Mansukh L Mandaviya to expedite the process.

In a letter addressed to Mandaviya on Monday, Pujari highlighted the importance of the insecticidal nets in combating malaria in Odisha. He noted that the Government of India had supplied 1.56 crore LLINs to Odisha in the fiscal year 2020-21, contributing significantly to the decline in malaria cases in the state. However, as the efficacy of these nets lasts for three years, they were due for replacement in 2023.

Expressing concern over the delay in replacing the LLINs, Pujari emphasized that the delay has left the state vulnerable to an increase in malaria cases. He underscored the urgency of immediate action to prevent a further rise in malaria case load and to sustain the efforts made by the state in reducing the malaria burden across the country.