Gambusia fish to help control malaria in Haryana

Chandigarh, May 19 (UNI) The Haryana government has released sufficient quantity of Gambusia fish in the village ponds and lakes in the state as part of its anti-malaria campaign.

This fish, released in about 200 water bodies, eats mosquito larva, thus controlling the spread of malaria.

The other steps taken by the state Health Department to control malaria includes making avaliable stocks of deltamethrin, a synthetic pyrethroid insecticide in those areas, where the incidence of malaria was high during last year. This is for the first time that deltamethrin is being introduced in the state.

Giving details of the anti malaria campaign, Financial Commissioner and Principal Secretary, (Health), Urvashi Gulati said here today that deltamethrin was being used on the guidelines of the Central Government.This insecticide has been distributed in the districts of Karnal, Panipat and parts of Sonipat district.

Mrs Gulati said the department has procured 52 metric tonnes of deltamethri at a cost of Rs one crore. Two rounds of spray would be carried out upto October 15.

She said in other parts of the state, malathion would be sprayed from June 1 to October 15. The department has a stock of 510 metric tonnes of malathions. out of which 300 metric tonnes was supplied by the Central Government. The remaining 210 metric tonnes of malathion, costing Rs 1.15 crore, was procured by the state Government.

Mrs Gulati said Civil Surgeons were directed to intensify disease surveillance and prepare blood slides in cases of fever.

Those found positive for malaria will be given free treatment free of cost by the health workers at the state government health institutes or at their door steps homes.

She said anti-malaria drugs would be made available to those suffering from fever through Drug Distribution Centres set up with the help of Panchayats.

It has also been decided to observe the month of June as anti-malaria month, Mrs Gulati added.

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