Malaria and Diarrhea Outbreak in Chhattisgarh: Political Turmoil as Eight Tribals Die
RaipurIn the past 10 days, three tribal students and five Baiga individuals have succumbed to malaria and diarrhoea in Chhattisgarh, igniting a political firestorm. In response, Health Minister Shyam Bihari Jaiswal visited Bijapur on Monday, following directives from Chief Minister Vishnudeo Sai.
The Health Minister announced a review of the circumstances surrounding the girls’ deaths but attributed the rise in malaria cases to the previous Congress government, stating that malaria had tripled under their rule.
Political Reactions and InvestigationsIn contrast, the Congress has established an investigation committee to probe the deaths of the girls at a residential school in Bijapur.
Former Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel criticized the BJP government on the social media platform ‘X’, blaming their negligence for the deaths.Deaths During TreatmentTwo students from the Potakabin in Bijapur died during treatment.
Minister Jaiswal, speaking in Raipur, emphasized that malaria cases had tripled during the Congress regime, citing that in 2018, 11 out of 1000 people were affected by malaria in Chhattisgarh. By 2023, this number had risen to 35 out of 1000.
Jaiswal also highlighted that the BJP government had worked towards making Chhattisgarh malaria-free over the past 15 years and had pledged to eliminate malaria in Bastar within the next five years.
He is currently meeting with the District Medical Officer and other officials in Bijapur to assess malaria control measures.
Congress Forms Investigation CommitteeThe Congress has formed a nine-member investigation committee, led by Neena Ravatia, General Secretary of the State Congress Committee, to investigate the deaths in Bijapur.
This committee will visit the affected village and report their findings to Congress leaders after speaking with the families.Bhupesh Baghel Raises ConcernsBhupesh Baghel took to social media to question the BJP government’s handling of the situation, noting that two tribal girls had died from malaria in the last three days.
He asserted that his government had launched a campaign to make Bastar malaria-free, significantly reducing malaria cases over five years, but the BJP’s negligence was now costing tribal children’s lives.
Congress Defends Its RecordFollowing Jaiswal’s statement, Sushil Anand Shukla, head of the State Congress’s communications department, claimed that the Congress government had effectively reduced malaria. He pointed to data showing a decrease in malaria cases up to 2023 and argued that if the current government could not provide mosquito nets or clean water, it should step down.
Health Department ReportsIn Bijapur, 187 girls living in Potakabin and ashrams have tested positive for malaria. Two girls, Vedika Jalwa (9) and Deekshita Rega, had been receiving treatment in Potakabin before succumbing to the illness.According to the Bijapur Health Department, several children in various ashrams have tested positive for malaria, including 57 in Cherpal Potakabin, 22 in Gangalur Potakabin, and others across different ashrams.Government Report on MalariaAmid the controversy, the government released a report on July 15, indicating a significant decrease in malaria cases. The report states that 61.99% of malaria cases in Chhattisgarh are from Dantewada, Bijapur, and Narayanpur. It also notes a 50% decrease in malaria cases in the Bastar division, with the annual parasitic index rate dropping from 2.63% in 2018 to 0.99% in 2023.The malaria elimination campaign from 2020 to 2023 reduced the malaria positivity rate from 4.60% to 0.51%. The 10th phase of the campaign ended on July 5, 2024, and involved distributing 1.697 million insecticide-treated mosquito nets across 22 districts.
The Health Department reported malaria cases for the first half of 2024, with notable figures in Bastar (1660 cases), Bijapur (4441), Dantewada (1640), Kanker (259), Kondagaon (701), Narayanpur (1509), and Sukma (1144).
