The Hindu : More PHCs to check malaria

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, May 08, 2002

Southern States

Southern States - Karnataka-Bangalore

More PHCs to check malaria

By Our Staff Reporter

Bangalore May 7. The Government plans to set up more primary health centres (PHCs) to check the spread of malaria in the State. Over 600 medical personnel are likely to be appointed in the coming year for the purpose. Announcing this during the inauguration of a workshop on "Bio-environmental Control of Malaria", the Minister for Health and Family Welfare, A.B. Maalakaraddy, said nearly 70 per cent of the existing PHCs had well equipped laboratories. The workshop was organised by the Malaria Research Centre located on the premises of the Hospital for Epidemic Diseases, here today. According to Dr. Maalakaraddy, malaria could be controlled by applying the bio-environmental method. The indiscriminate use of chemicals made mosquitoes immune to them while, at the same time, the chemicals were an environmental hazard. The use of chemicals should be restricted to areas where there was an epidemic. The introduction of fish such as Gambusia affinis (mosquito fish) and Peocilia reticulatus (guppy) which feed on mosquito larvae is the only environment-friendly way to check the breeding of mosquitoes, according to him. S.K. Ghosh of the Malaria Research Centre emphasised the importance of looking after one's health. It was important for people to understand health at the individual level because science could only play the role of a guide, he added.

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