Bhubaneswar, Jan 6 – The malaria mortality rate will be reduced to below four percent in the next five years in Orissa where 239 people died of the disease last year, state health minister said Wednesday.

‘The malaria mortality rate came down to 15 percent till July 2009. But the mortality rate is still high, as about 239 died last year. We are aiming to reduce the mortality in the next five years,’ said Health and Family Welfare Minister Prasanna Acharya.

The minister said the government has launched special programmes and will engage voluntary organisations for awareness campaigns.

Last year 335,765 people were affected by malaria in the state.

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