Arunachal to tie-up with US company to fight malaria: Mein

Our correspondent

Itanagar, April 19: The Arunachal Pradesh government is considering tying-up with a US-based company NeoDocto Foundation Inc. to eradicate malaria from the State.

Deputy Chief Minister Chowna Mein convened a meeting with Health Commissioner Kaling Tayeng and officials of health services on Wednesday to discuss and explore the possibilities of availing support from the NeoDocto Malaria Eradication Programme in this regard, an official communiqué stated on Thursday. NeoDocto is a health-based IT company headquartered in New York. The meeting was held ahead of the monsoon, which is the time when malaria mosquitoes breed in millions and affect people. Eastern Arunachal’s Longding, Tirap, Namsai and Changlang districts are usually worst affected areas by malarial parasites.

Mein, while explaining the outcome of his interaction with Global President and CEO of Neodocto Madhukar Sanneerappa, said that the foundation was willing to assist the State in eradication of malaria. The company agreed to provide assistance in areas of educating the masses as well as creating awareness towards prevention and treatment free of cost. “We should take advantage of such opportunity and seek feasible support from the NeoDocto Malaria Eradication Programme,” said Mein. He asked officers to provide the requirements of the State and also to draw up an action plan to make Arunachal a malaria-free State.

Sanneerappa told Mein that the foundation is investing some of its profit in social sectors like health care systems, especially in malaria eradication programme all over the world.

Sanneerappa said the foundation is now working to eradicate malaria from Asia-Pacific region and has been traveling across India to collaborate with different States and charitable institutions. He said that his foundation had already collaborated with 14 States in India including Assam, Mizoram and Sikkim in the Northeast.