HYDERABAD: Liaquat University of Medical Health Sciences (LUMHS) on Monday held an awareness walk to highlight the malaria threat. A large number of doctors from Pareatabad hospital, Bhitaie hospital, paramedics and people from different walk of life participated in the awareness walk held in connection with World Malaria Day. Speaking on the occasion, Provincial Malaria Control Programme (PMCP) Manager Dr Naheed Jamali said malaria is a deadly disease and it becomes difficult to save the patient through medication if not treated on time. She said that malaria was 4th major cause of deaths among communicable diseases, especially in Africa. She said that the unavailability of statistics in the country regarding the affected people by malaria is heartrending whereas treatment of this disease is also very expensive. In Pakistan, she said that all-out efforts are being made to control malaria, but its prevention could not be possible without the cooperation of the people. She said that majority of the people are unaware about the prevention of disease, resulting suffering severe gravity of the disease. Malaria is a blood infectious diseases in which patients suffer from fever, anemia and possibly jaundice, she added. Dr Naheed said that cerebral malaria affects child’s brain in which after fits child may go unconscious. Parents should immunise their children against diseases like polio, black cough, measles, hepatitis B, chicken pox, flu, meningitis, tuberculosis and other diseases so that they could be protected, she urged. She stressed the need for creating awareness in masses about malaria. She pointed out that malaria could be controlled if diagnosed early and prompt treatment was a global strategy towards controlling the disease. She said that only three percent people have immunity to fight the disease without taking any medication, but in normal circumstances if a patient is not treated it may even result in death. Special attention must be given to high-risk targets such as children, elderly people and pregnant women. Dr Naheed Jamali also suggested administration of anti-malarial medicines to the persons visiting from non-endemic areas, persons from Pakistan visiting hyper endemic areas. Relevant medicines could also be given in intermittent doses to pregnant women in the second and third trimester, she remarked. She maintained that it was high time to join hands to contain malaria, which ranked third among major infectious diseases, mainly afflicting children and pregnant women. Dr Naheed Jamali said that education of people and doctors and promotion of research activities could play an effective role in eradicating malaria. She stressed for promotion of personal protection measures against mosquito-bite, including maintenance houses in good and hygienic condition, prevention of stagnation of water, netting of house and use of insecticide treated bed-nets, use of mosquito repellent lotion, creams, mats and coils. Dr Naheed emphasised that malaria is preventable and curable. She further added that more research work is needed to contain the vector of malaria. She stressed the need for allocating more funds to curb malara. Later, an awareness walk was arranged on the premises of LUMHS, pressclub Hyderabad, Pareatabad hospital, Bhitaie hospitals participated by doctors, paramedics and people from different walks of life.