EPIDEMIOLGY OF DRUG RESISTANT FALCIPARUM MALARIA WITH SPECIAL REFERENCE TO ORISSA

Malaria imposes great socio-economic burden in about 100 countries/territories. Of the four species of human malaria parasites, P. falciparum is most lethal and responsible for most of the deaths. Every year about 1.1-2.7 million people die of malaria all over the world and more than 75 % of them are from Africa, south of Sahara1. In India, malaria is mostly contributed the most by the state of Orissa. Although Orissa has a population of 36.5 million (3.5%), it contributes 25 % of a total of 1.5-2 million reported annual malaria cases, 39.5 % of P. falciparum malaria and 30 % of deaths caused by malaria in India2. However, independent studies by the Indian Council of Medical Research have unequivocally established that the reports on the incidence of malaria and deaths due to it are highly under-estimated3. Ami