More than 100,000 malaria cases reported in Sindh last year

As many as 108,262 malaria cases were recorded by the Sindh Malaria Control Program from the province in 2018. However, there were no deaths reported from the disease.

According to yearly data released by the program, the majority of cases were reported from Thatta, Sujawal, Tando Muhammad Khan, Mirpurkhas and Badin districts. Program Director Dr Abbas Gopang told PPI that more than 1,484,821 suspected cases of malaria were detected throughout the province last year, of which 108,262 tested positive.

Gopang said 2,400 malaria cases were detected in Karachi in 2018 at microscopic centres working in the city for treatment of malaria patients. The number of malaria cases was low in Karachi, Hyderabad and other urban cities as compared to rural areas but under-reporting was also observed in coastal areas of Karachi city and its slums. He added no deaths were reported from malaria at the 575 microscopic centres operating all over the province. He claimed that reporting had increased in the last couple of years throughout the province with capacity building and training of general doctors.