Insecticide-treated bed nets (ITNs) may be the ultimate answer to the problem of malaria in remote, inaccessible areas of the Agency. But authorities have failed to clear misapprehensions among tribals on the use and preservation of the nets.

The present size of the net is sufficient for a double cot. Government of India introduced medicated bed nets in the state too and sanctioned 10 lakh nets for tribal areas of the five districts.

Nets have been distributed, according to size of the family. If family members are more than five, they have been given two nets. “When we interacted with some people, they felt that the nets are big, especially in thatched houses. They cannot arrange the nets for country made cots,” say sources.

District Malaria Officer Dr K.V. Prasada Rao said they had already educated the tribal population on the use. “Irritation or skin disease can be safer than a dangerous mosquito bite. We did not explain this, fearing unnecessary apprehensions,” he said.