Union health minister Harsh Vardhan speaks at the online news meet in Ranchi on Monday. (Prashant Mitra)

Ranchi, Sept. 29: Jharkhand’s Santhal Pargana may hope to become free of the dreaded kala-azar or black fever by 2015, with the Union minister of health and family affairs Dr Harsh Vardhan today promising to roll out a massive plan to fight the vector-borne endemic.

Vardhan, addressing an online media meet from Vigyan Bhavan, New Delhi, spoke cogently about the need to eliminate kala-azar or visceral leishmaniasis from India, a disease that spreads through sandfly bites and strikes internal organs such as liver and spleen and the bone marrow.

Endemic in Jharkhand, Bihar, Bengal and Uttar Pradesh, in this tribal state it is found mainly in the Santhal Pargana belt of Pakur, Godda, Sahebganj and Dumka.

Earlier this month, the Union health minister had held meetings with respective stakeholders from states to work out an action plan in New Delhi.

Another round of meeting is likely to take place on October 9.

“To eliminate kala-azar, a plan with new thrust areas and impetus has been finalised recently for Bihar, Jharkhand, Uttar Pradesh and Bengal, which are the most affected regions,” Vardhan told mediapersons sitting at NIC centres of various states.

A bulk of Santhal Pargana happens to be a JMM bastion, but health services are poor.

Implicitly referring to the Assembly polls, Vardhan urged all stakeholders to rise above party and political lines to fight kala-azar and endeavour to put health services back on track in the country.

The disease’s symptoms include fever, weight loss, fatigue, anaemia and swollen liver and spleen. But, diagnosis proves tough as infrastructure and manpower are lacking.

Prodded on this, the minister said: “Recruitment and filling of resource gaps (read doctors) are a state issue. But, the Centre does have important roles to play in overall health policies and schemes. We will look after all states without discrimination.”

State health department sources told The Telegraph that from January till August this year, about 800 kala-azar cases have been reported so far, 400 less compared to last year’s figures till this time.

“But, the threat can’t be ruled out still as figures tend to rise with fall in temperatures,” said an official.

State vector-borne programme officer Pushpa Maria said they had submitted a detailed proposal for funds to fight kala-azar. She said funds were yet to arrive.

“We will start a fresh drive in the four districts of Santhal Pargana. A couple of days ago, we procured 1,000 units of rk39, a rapid diagnostic kit, as well as 2,000 single drug dose Ambisom to kick off Mission 2015 in full swing,” Maria said.

Health minister Vardhan also didn’t come up with a specific answer on a question related to the recent medical seat row following the recommendation of the Medical Council of India (MCI) to slash MBBS seats in three state medical colleges.

The seat slash was endorsed by Centre, but put on hold by the high court in the interest of the students.

Vardhan preferred to speak on the larger issue of bringing radical changes in MCI, Dental Council of India and Indian Nursing Council.

“There is a perception that they aren’t doing their work properly and transparently. An expert committee has been set up to review their mode of functioning,” he said.

The health minister added that they would also finalise the roadmap in other priority areas such as launch of National Health Assurance Mission scheme in October.