Report malaria patients or face legal action: BMC

A BMC worker fumigating the Carter Road area as a part of precautionary measures against malaria. File pic/Satej Shinde

Turning a blind eye to mosquito breeding or malaria reportage may now attract heavy penalties and jail time in Mumbai. BMC's public health machinery has drafted an aggressive plan to achieve the 2030 deadline for malaria eradication. As a part of it, all hospitals and doctors will not only preserve the testing samples but also report each malaria patient or face legal action.

Even corporate establishments or residential colonies, found with mosquito breeding grounds, will be given 24 hours time to submit an action plan and implement the same. The government resolution regarding the same was issued at the end of December, however, it could not be implemented then as the notification could not reach BMC officials due to the Covid-19 third wave, an official said.

As per the notification, there has to be an appointment of a designated malaria controlling officer in each district. The BMC chief may appoint a medical officer of health (MOH) or additional medical officer health (AMOH) or any other officer deemed fit to be in the position. All the private medical practitioners, physicians or doctors in charge of medical institutions within the infected area shall furnish information pertaining to blood collection, malaria positive cases, including suspected or confirmed cases of malaria, to the malaria controlling officer. They also shall preserve examined blood slides for up to a period for re-examination and shall produce the same as and when required by the officer for cross-checking.

The Executive Health Officer, BMC, Dr Mangala Gomare said, "Soon we will draft an action plan and hold a session where all private doctors and lab representatives will be invited and informed about the rules and regulations. We will also create a separate email id where these people can notify their respective malaria health officers."

She added, "Any individual or institution violating the instructions will be liable to be prosecuted under section 188 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), which allows up to six months imprisonment and R1,000 fine or both, according to the notification." In 2019, the city reported 4,357 cases, while in 2020 and 2021 there was a spike and 5,007 and 5,193 cases were reported respectively.

BMC set to conduct a door-to-door blood test drive

On April 25, World Malaria Day, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation will conduct door-to-door surveillance to test the blood of patients suffering from fever and workers working on construction sites. BMC Executive Officer Dr Mangala Gomare said this campaign will last for a month.