A study on need for effective strategies for prevention and control of Vector borne diseases in Greater Visakhapatnam municipal corporation

Abstract

Introduction: The National Vector Borne Disease Control Programme (NVBDCP) is implemented in all the States/ UT's for prevention and control of vector borne diseases namely Malaria, Filariasis, Kala-azar, Japanese Encephalitis (JE), Dengue and Chikungunya. Malaria has been effectively controlled in GVMC with technical guidance of district health administration and GVMC on financial inputs and necessary staff deployment besides un-hesitant financial expenditure on logistics, heavy fogging and insecticide spraying equipment from time to time. Filariasis is a major social and economic scourge in the past and the present strategy of mass drug administration (MDA) to interrupt transmission has been still continuing with reduction in microfilaria less than 1 percent. It is found in tropical and sub-tropical regions around the world, predominantly in urban and semi-urban areas. Chikun-Gunya fever is a debilitating non-fatal viral illness, re-emerging in the country. Since the same vector is involved in the transmission of dengue and chikungunya, strategies for transmission risk reduction by vector control are also the same. Methodology: The present study is retrospective cohort study, collecting data from earlier records of public health wing of GVMC during 2012-2020 regarding vector borne diseases. Permission of the Chief Medical Officer is obtained. The staff of Urban Malaria wing visit sentinel centres, private health care establishments daily in their jurisdiction and collect data regarding malaria and dengue, particularly during rainy season. Results: There is a downward trend up to 2018 and it appears there is gross under reporting in the years 2019 and 2020 due to COVID-19. Cases due to Vivax are more in number when compared to falciparum. In the year wise time distribution of total number of malaria cases, falciparum malaria is low and did not appear to cause major public health problem unlike vivax malaria. Conclusion: The common strategy for control of all vector borne diseases is early detection and prompt treatment of the case (control of infection strategy) IVM to control the vector (control of Vector strategy). Vector density in GVMC both urban and peri-urban is steady over years. Among the fevers detected in both active and passive surveillance of malaria under modified plan of operation by district health administration is covering not efficient particularly for dengue infection. IVM activities under UMS are standardized in urban area of GVMC but in case of peri-urban areas GVMC and District health administration has to go a long way by providing RDT (ELISA based NS1 kits IGM capture ELISA test) kits for field staff and effective IVM activities by bringing the peri-urban area into UMS.