BHUBANESWAR:  The State Government has decided to study how children below the age of five and expectant mothers have been benefited by the malaria control programme in districts which have reported significant reduction in malaria cases.

The study will be jointly conducted by State Health Department, National Vector Borne Disease Control Programme, Regional Medical Research Centre (RMRC), Malaria No More and Unicef. 
Seven districts which will be studied in the first phase are Koraput, Rayagada, Kandhamal, Kalahandi, Malkangiri, Keonjhar and Balangir. 

The districts have registered nearly 90 per cent reduction in malaria cases due to successful implementation of malaria control programme. Special Secretary, Health and Family Welfare Department, Dr BK Brahma said, “the study will examine the impact of malaria reduction on health of women and children and the rate of improvement in the districts,” the Special Secretary said.