Bhubaneswar: The state health and family welfare department has decided to take the help of private agencies to tackle the menace of malaria in high-risk areas of the state.
Sources said an MoU is going to be signed soon between the health and family welfare department and a private agency in this regard.
According to the draft MoU, the agency will provide financial and technical consultancy and training, among other services, in some districts of southern Orissa where prevalence of malaria is more rampant.
According to government officials, the agency will also help the state government in strengthening health communication activities.
“The private trust’s communication and health teams will work in tandem with the National Vector Borne Disease Control Programme in an integrated manner,” said an official.
A meeting to discuss the modalities of the private agency’s engagement in anti-malaria activities was held January 15. It was decided in the meeting that capacity building programmes for local health workers will also be held to improve the efficacy of the services.
“The agency will also help maintain the norms in procedures for testing malnourished children for malaria. It will work within the government system on the malaria elimination programme and not provide its assistance as an external system,” said an official of the health department.
