Mysuru’s primary health centres (PHCs) are on a mission to combat malaria although the district has been free from malaria cases since the last five years. The Department of Health and Family Welfare in Mysuru does not want to take chances as the threat always looms large in monsoon and also from migrant population.
So, how are the PHCs that were in the forefront in the war against COVID-19 planning to fight malaria? What preparations has the department done to end breeding of mosquitoes? By rearing mosquito-killing guppy and gambusia fish, the department plans to ease the threat as guppies and gambusias would be introduced in large water bodies that are prone to mosquito breeding. For this, large fish tanks are being constructed in every PHC and CHC in Mysuru where guppy and gambusia fish are bred, as a biological controlling way of fighting mosquito breeding.
So far, 135 fish tanks have been constructed in PHCs across the district and 20 more are under construction. Many PHCs have started breeding guppy and gambusia and all 150 fish tanks would be ready by June when anti-malaria month is observed.
Each fish tank has been constructed at a cost of ₹15,000 with funds sourced from the National Health Mission.
District Vector Borne Diseases Control Officer S. Chidambar said Mysuru district is in “Category zero” when it comes to malaria as no cases had been reported in the district in the last five years. Barring three “imported” cases (people getting infected after inter-state travel), the district is by and large free from malaria and the disease is in its elimination phase in the district.
“Guppy and gambusia fish are known to eat mosquito larvae in breeding sources. We have documented it. But not all water bodies have guppies or gambusias and therefore the department itself will introduce fish by breeding them in facilities set up in every PHC. Besides other control measures, it is an additional way of fighting mosquito breeding,” he explained.
Dr. Chidambar said the specifications for the construction of fish tanks had been given and accordingly they had been constructed based on the availability of space.
“The department has always been on guard against malaria as it keeps a track on people who have symptoms and travel history. The cases cannot be hidden as they shall be detected through our network of hospitals and the ASHA workers who work closely in rural areas. We cannot be complacent as there were cases in Mangaluru. A single case is treated as an outbreak and accordingly the interventions are done. The last local outbreak in Mysuru was in 2017 and three imported cases were reported last year,” the official said.
June is observed as anti-malaria month. Integrated vector management, early detection and complete treatment, active and passive surveillance, malaria clinics, contact survey and fever treatment depots were among the measures of the department to counter malaria.
Steps such as fogging in gram panchayat areas, screening of blood samples in suspected cases and Information Education and Communication are the other steps taken for containing its spread. Health workers visit households to check mosquito breeding. Water stored in containers in households is checked. The department, especially in villages, tells people to clean containers and dry them before filling them with water. They need to be cleaned once in two days to prevent breeding.
