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Ending the mosquito menace

It is not for nothing that dengue used to be called break-bone fever. It is an apt description of the agonies suffered as a result of the excruciating muscle and joint pain that is so characteristic of the disease. Fortunately, only a small proportion of those who contract the disease are likely to develop the more dangerous form known as dengue haemorrhagic fever and even fewer die of it. Outbreaks of dengue are bad enough but this year the country has had to cope with another dreadful scourge that spread with great rapidity — chikungunya. This disease too causes severe joint pain, which sometimes does not subside for weeks or even months. Like true horsemen of the Apocalypse, the two diseases have created an atmosphere of fear, even panic, in large parts of the country. It is true that there are currently no drugs specifically for these two diseases. But that is all the more reason for making sure that excessive and unnecessary medication or outright quackery does not flourish. Certainly, the Central and State Governments must do their part in putting a stop to such attempts to exploit people's misery. So too must associations of doctors and those representing alternative systems of medicine.

The poor state of public health is what allows mosquitoes to flourish throughout India and spread not only dengue and chikungunya but also malaria, Japanese encephalitis, and filariasis. Frenzied mosquito-control activities that accompany disease outbreaks are good public relations measures but do very little to curb mosquito populations. What is needed is a sustained and suitably funded effort to end the mosquito menace. It is a task that can be accomplished only if government at all levels as well as local communities put their shoulder to the wheel. Better drainage and sanitation will not only reduce mosquito numbers but also curb cholera and diarrhoeal diseases. Garbage collection and disposal must be given sufficient importance. Specific measures to target mosquitoes will depend on local conditions. Sufficient autonomy needs to be given to district and local authorities, along with the funds and expertise that may be needed, to take appropriate steps. A major challenge will be to enlist every family in making sure that mosquitoes do not breed in its home. There should also be a concerted effort at changing people's habits so that littering becomes completely unacceptable. India's National Malaria Eradication Programme was a big success in the 1950s and 1960s. It is high time mosquito control once again received the priority it deserves in the nation's agenda.

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