PMC conducts malaria awareness campaigns
The health department of the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) has organised a weeklong malaria awareness programme in the city. Various activities are being conducted as part of its Information, Education, and Communication (IEC) initiatives at crowded public places, including railway stations, state transport bus stands, and others.
Healthcare workers and PMC staff are conducting public awareness campaigns about the disease. Citizens are being provided with information, and stickers are being pasted at various locations.
According to PMC data, in the past four months, around 109 notices have been sent for not abiding by the rules set by the PMC for areas found to be breeding spots. As per data from the Health Department of Maharashtra,
around 19,303 cases were registered in 2021, 15,451 cases in 2022, 16,159 cases in 2023, and 2,650 cases in 2024 till April 24.
“This year, cases of malaria are increasing, and to curb it, we are conducting awareness programmes. Besides fogging, we also ensure that people are aware, and IEC activities help us to curb the spread. This year, we have started early to spread awareness so that during the peak monsoon, citizens can take precautionary measures,” said Dr Suryakant Deokar, assistant medical officer of health, PMC.
City-based doctor Devashish Desai added, "The cases of malaria are not significant in Pune city, but in rural areas, the cases are higher. In the city, we mostly get cases of dengue but not malaria. However, precautionary measures are always the best."
In a shocking case in Satara district, an unknown assailant bludgeoned a man's head with a stone while he was sleeping in his courtyard, the police said on Friday.
According to the police, the man has been identified as Rohit Shantaram Sawant (30, resident of Ambedkarnagar, Khatau). Sawant, who lived with his mother, was sleeping alone in his courtyard on Tuesday night. In the middle of the night, an unknown assailant killed him by crushing his head with a stone. The next morning, his mother found him dead and screamed, prompting people living nearby to rush to Sawant's house.
As soon as the incident was reported, the Pusegaon Police arrived at the scene. After that, the body was sent to the primary health centre in Pusegaon for post-mortem. Following this, the dead body was cremated in Khatav in a mournful atmosphere. Pusegaon Police are conducting further investigation.