NEW DELHI: Union Health Minister Anbumani Ramadoss on Wednesday expressed concern over non-performance of the vector-borne diseases control and mental health programmes.

While the economy was growing at over 9 per cent a year and India was making a mark in the Information Technology and pharmaceutical sectors, the country was often clubbed with Pakistan, Bangladesh and Nigeria when it came to health. "It is disheartening and I have to hang my head in shame. We have a long way to go in improving our human development indicators," he said addressing representatives of 45 malaria endemic districts from 11 States here.

Pointing out that implementation of the National Vector Borne Disease Control Programme was a problem, the Minister said prevention of malaria was a better approach than treatment. The number of malaria cases went up from just 50,000 annually in the 1960s to between 1.8 and 2 million in 2006 with 1,140 deaths. The number could be much higher as surveillance was low. Malaria-endemic districts should have GIS mapping. The Government would bear the cost of any new technology that would help in controlling the disease.

Advocating the use of `Bambosa' fish to control mosquitoes, Dr. Ramadoss said this method was environment-friendly too. Voluntary and civil society groups should also be involved in the vector control. If malaria was checked, filaria, kala-azar, dengue and chikungunya cases would also come down.

This year Japanese Encephalitis vaccinations would be administered in 23 endemic districts as against 11 last year, and 54 kala-azar endemic districts were being monitored.

Earlier, Health Secretary Naresh Dayal said the Government was concerned at the possible use of DDT, meant for pesticide control, in agriculture.

The Ministry intended carrying out an audit in some districts, where DDT was being supplied, to ensure that it was used only for the intended purpose. India was a signatory to the Stockholm Convention, which permitted DDT use only for pesticide control.

N.K. Ganguly, Director-General, Indian Council of Medical Research, said the country was almost at the final stage of biocide and pesticide testing that could be used for vector control.

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