Nayagarh, April 25, 2026 (Report- Ramakrushna Rath): Health officials and community leaders held a special meeting at the District Hospital meeting hall today to observe World Malaria Day 2026. The event brought local leaders together to discuss the ongoing fight against the disease. Participants celebrated the massive progress the district has made in public health over the last decade. 
District Collector Madhusmita Rath guided the important event. Zilla Parishad Chairman Shri Debashish Patnaik attended the meeting as the Chief Guest. Several respected guests of honor joined them on stage. These included Dr. Sushant Kumar Swain, the Chief District Medical and Public Health Officer, and Dr. Banamali Pradhan, the Additional District Public Health Officer for Vector-Borne Diseases. District Project Manager Prakash Banerjee also took part. Officials from various health departments and enthusiastic students from Agradut Nursing College attended the educational session.
During the meeting, experts talked openly about the history of malaria in the area. They reminded the audience that the district faced a severe malaria crisis back in 2016. At that time, the disease affected a very high number of people. Today, the situation looks completely different. Health workers have successfully reduced the Annual Parasite Incidence (API) rate to less than one. This extremely low number proves that the district has almost stopped the spread of the disease.
The leaders explained exactly how they achieved this great success. The health department distributed Long-Lasting Insecticidal Nets (LLIN) to families across the region. Furthermore, the government runs the DAMAN program twice a year in remote areas. This special public health program focuses on finding and stopping malaria in hard-to-reach places. These two powerful actions caused the patient numbers to drop dramatically.
The speakers also praised the hard work of local frontline staff. Currently, 970 ASHA workers actively protect the district. These dedicated workers go from door to door every single day. They use Rapid Diagnostic Tests (RDT) to check the blood of anyone who suffers from a fever. At the same time, they teach families how to use mosquito nets properly. They make sure the public understands how to stay safe from mosquito bites.
The meeting ended with a strong message for the future. The main goal for World Malaria Day 2026 is a firm promise to end the disease completely. The official theme for this year is: "We can do it now, and we must do it now." The guests highlighted that total elimination of the disease is highly possible. They asked everyone in the community to continue their joint efforts to defeat malaria once and for all.
District Collector Madhusmita Rath guided the important event. Zilla Parishad Chairman Shri Debashish Patnaik attended the meeting as the Chief Guest. Several respected guests of honor joined them on stage. These included Dr. Sushant Kumar Swain, the Chief District Medical and Public Health Officer, and Dr. Banamali Pradhan, the Additional District Public Health Officer for Vector-Borne Diseases. District Project Manager Prakash Banerjee also took part. Officials from various health departments and enthusiastic students from Agradut Nursing College attended the educational session.
During the meeting, experts talked openly about the history of malaria in the area. They reminded the audience that the district faced a severe malaria crisis back in 2016. At that time, the disease affected a very high number of people. Today, the situation looks completely different. Health workers have successfully reduced the Annual Parasite Incidence (API) rate to less than one. This extremely low number proves that the district has almost stopped the spread of the disease.
The leaders explained exactly how they achieved this great success. The health department distributed Long-Lasting Insecticidal Nets (LLIN) to families across the region. Furthermore, the government runs the DAMAN program twice a year in remote areas. This special public health program focuses on finding and stopping malaria in hard-to-reach places. These two powerful actions caused the patient numbers to drop dramatically.
The speakers also praised the hard work of local frontline staff. Currently, 970 ASHA workers actively protect the district. These dedicated workers go from door to door every single day. They use Rapid Diagnostic Tests (RDT) to check the blood of anyone who suffers from a fever. At the same time, they teach families how to use mosquito nets properly. They make sure the public understands how to stay safe from mosquito bites.
The meeting ended with a strong message for the future. The main goal for World Malaria Day 2026 is a firm promise to end the disease completely. The official theme for this year is: "We can do it now, and we must do it now." The guests highlighted that total elimination of the disease is highly possible. They asked everyone in the community to continue their joint efforts to defeat malaria once and for all.
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