Malaria’s ground zero on edge

In April, Ghatkopar (East) resident Nitesh Augania (18) developed a high fever accompanied by chills every evening. During a routine health surveillance of Savitribai Phule Nagar slum, where Nitesh lives, health officials diagnosed him with malaria.

In April, Ghatkopar (East) resident Nitesh Augania (18) developed a high fever accompanied by chills every evening. During a routine health surveillance of Savitribai Phule Nagar slum, where Nitesh lives, health officials diagnosed him with malaria. While he recovered after a two-week course of anti-malarial drugs, now it’s his mother Meena (38) who has contracted the disease.

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“I feel very weak and have to lie down all day. Malaria is very common in our neighbourhood,” said Meena, at her one-room home adjacent to a sewage drain.

Almost each of the 100 homes in the slum has had a family member suffering from malaria. Presently, at least 10 people in the slum are taking treatment for the disease, said Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) health workers.

A few meters from the Auganias’ home lies the tenement of Narsanna Yamganty. The 56-year-old employee of a private firm came down with fever two weeks ago. He popped paracetamol tablets for a few days, and it was only when a health worker tested him during a surveillance camp that he was diagnosed with malaria. “I missed work for the last 10 days. I have no fever now, but I still feel weak,” he said.

In July alone, the N Ward health post recorded 675 cases. “Usually, our ward records 2,000 malaria cases a year. This monsoon, the number of patients has more than doubled,” said Narayan Dhankute, surveillance inspector, N Ward.

This ward alone has 99 active construction sites, which are known to harbour stagnant water in which mosquitoes that carry the malaria parasite breed.

Mohammed Shabbir (23), who works on a construction site at Pant Nagar in Ghatkopar (East), has been suffering from malaria for the last two weeks, along with two other co-workers who have since moved to another site. “I missed work for five days as I could not afford to stay away longer than that. I feel weak and have no appetite,” said Shabbir.

“In June, 83 malaria cases were recorded from a locality in Vidyavihar (East), which has a large construction site. Most of the patients were construction workers,” said S.Z. Kadiri, surveillance inspector, N Ward.

“This pattern is common across all malaria-affected wards, not just Ghatkopar. The cases will decrease as soon as the weather turns warmer,” said Dr Sharad Deshmukh, medical health officer, BMC.