Muzaffarpur: The health department is all set to launch a campaign from January to impart lessons on kala-azar to schoolchildren.

District magistrate (DM) Dharmendra Kumar has asked the education department to lend a helping hand to government doctors in generating awareness among students for the results.

"Incidence of new cases of kala-azar or visceral leishmaniasis, a vector-borne disease caused by the female sand fly, in Paroo, Saraiya and Sahebganj blocks of the district has slowed down the endeavour to declare the state kala-azar-free. However, the government has extended the deadline by six months tentatively from June next year," said the DM.

The DM said Paroo block has emerged a danger zone for kala-azar and the health department is spraying chemicals thrice a year to kill the sand fly, but the villagers are hesitant to allow spraying of chemicals.

"Some of the houses are locked and the most of inmates of the houses are unwilling to allow the Kala-azar Mitra team to enter the prayer room to conduct spraying. They are being motivated to allow the workers to spray the chemical to free the state of kala-azar, said the DM.

Vector-borne disease control officer Satish Kumar said doctors of the primary health centre (PHC) and government hospitals will be engaging a class in schools twice a month for imparting lessons on the cause and prevention of kala-azar. Around 350 houses in Paroo, Sahebganj and Saraiya blocks have refused to allow spraying.

The DM has involved PHC doctors to let the schoolchildren convince their parents and villagers to allow spraying of chemicals.

"Once the schoolchildren are convinced, they will influence their parents to allow spraying of chemicals," said DM Dharmendra Kumar.