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Experts finalise training modules to fight malaria

10/10/2005

CHITTAGONG, Oct 9 (BSS): Experts at the end of a two-day workshop on malaria prepared here Sunday the training modules for doctors and nurses as well as filed level health workers in line with new medical guideline to fight the menace of malaria.
Different stakeholders also joined the experts from Dhaka and Chittagong in drafting a package of Information, Education and Communication (IEC) and Behavioural Change Communication (BCC) materials to formulate treatment and public awareness guidelines to help reduce death from malaria in future.
The two-day workshop held at the Chittagong Medical College Hospital (CMCH), was participated by senior medical experts, officials of the World Health Organisation (WHO), public officials involved in national malaria prevention programme, district and upazila health officers, non-government organisation (NGO) activists, teachers from Chittagong Arts College and journalists.
A team of experts led by MA Fayez and Redwanur Rahman explained to the doctors and nurses on ways to provide treatment to the malarial patients by applying latest and new drug known as 'Coartem', which has been proved 100 per cent effective against this disease.
Another experts' group led by Chittagong Medical College (CMC) Vice Principle Imran-bin-Younus finalised the ICC materials.
ATM Mostafa Kamal of National Malaria Prevention Programme and WHO experts A Mannan Bangali and Azizur Rahman Chowdhury provided technical assistance in preparing the training and treatment modules.
They informed the workshop that malaria has been posing a serious threat to the public health, claiming at least 500 lives annually in 13 north, north-eastern and Chittagong Hill Tracts districts.
Quoting statistics, the workshop was also told that at least 0.5 million (5.0 lakh) people are being affected every year by the disease while the figure is only 60,000-70,000 as per the government reports.