Among the dreadful diseases that still challenge our country, malaria finds its place attacking 1.5 million people every year. And if you are under an impression that a couple of drugs will kick the malarial parasites out of the body, then let me remind that malaria has now turned drug resistant as the reports suggest that the most effective drug artemisinin is now unable to cure malaria. Yes, it means the disease has now turned fatal, unfortunately.

Scientists are still unable to find out as to why malaria has become drug resistant. They, however, feel it could be due to migrant population or mosquitoes that now carry resistant parasites.

The doctors feel that it’s high time for the authorities to concentrate more on the drug resistant malaria as this poses threat to 100 crore Indians. It may be noted that a study published in medical journal Lancet tells that the drug resistant malaria is in the air and it has reached Thailand from Cambodia. India being close to Thailand, even Indians are at high risk of drug resistant malaria.

In case if the mosquitoes carrying resistant parasites enter India, then the reports of malarial deaths would be in thousands everyday. (Phani)