Odisha Health Minister Urges Centre to Supply 1.56 Cr Insecticidal Nets

Bhubaneswar: Odisha Health & Family Welfare Minister Niranjan Pujari on Monday urged the Centre to expatiate the supply of 1.5 crore insecticidal nets to the State.

The State Health Minister wrote a letter to Union Health & Family Welfare Minister Mansukh L Mandaviya over delay in supply of 1.5 crore insecticidal nets to Odisha.

“The Government of India had supplied 1.56 crore LLIN to Odisha in the year 2020-21 thereby protecting highly vulnerable people from malaria infection which led to showing a remarkable decline in malaria case load in the State. The efficacy of the LLIN is for 3 years and in 2023 these LLINs were due for replacement by the Govt. of India”, the letter reads.

However, the same has been delayed unduly by nearly a year, which has made the State vulnerable to increase in malaria cases. Under such circumstances, it is requested to kindly look into the matter for immediate supply of 1.56 Crore LLINs to the State of Odisha to prevent a further rise in malaria case load and to sustain the efforts made by the State in reduction of the malaria burden in the country, Pujari mentioned in the letter.