The health department of Jharkhand on Saturday felicitated 10 panchayat representatives, primarily mukhiyas from various districts, for their contributions to controlling malaria and filaria cases through awareness campaigns and community participation.
Addressing the World Malaria Day event, National Health Mission (NHM) Jharkhand director Shashi Prakash Jha stated, "The government is serious about protecting people's health. With regular spraying, use of mosquito nets, clean drains, and active public participation, malaria can be controlled effectively."
He emphasized that awareness at the panchayat level through mukhiyas is essential. "People must understand that prevention, early detection, and timely treatment are crucial. Community participation is the strongest weapon against communicable diseases," he added.
Jharkhand reported 42,236 malaria cases in 2025, with the majority in districts such as West Singhbhum, East Singhbhum, Seraikela-Kharsawan, Godda, Pakur, and Sahibganj.
In the first three months of this year, around 4,000 malaria cases have been recorded in the state, highlighting the need for stronger village-level prevention and early detection measures. A total of 14.69 lakh rapid diagnostic tests (RDT) and over 55 lakh slide-based malaria tests were conducted across the state.
State programme officer for vector-borne diseases, Birendra Kumar Singh, said reducing malaria cases and making Jharkhand free from kala-azar remains a priority.
"Our effort is to bring down malaria cases and ensure elimination of kala-azar. Malaria needs to be highlighted more seriously, and prevention is equally important. In just three months, around 4,000 malaria cases are reported across the state. This shows why villages must take ownership of sanitation, mosquito control, and awareness drives," Singh said.
Officials noted that eight districts — Bokaro, Chatra, Deoghar, Dhanbad, Koderma, Palamu, Ramgarh, and Jamtara — recorded fewer than 100 malaria cases last year, reflecting improved efforts in reducing cases.
