Health Department launches district-wide plan 120 water-storing open tanks set up
By M.T. Yogesh Kumar
Mysore/Mysuru: Destroying mosquito larvae with the help of fish is not only environmentally friendly but an effective measure too. Mysuru malaria control authorities are increasingly resorting to a method introduced by the British in 1908 to check the disease: Rearing fish that feed on mosquito larvae.
Already, water-storing fish tanks have been established in 120 places and work is on to set up 15 more such tanks at all Primary Health Centres (PHC), Community Health Centres and Government Hospitals across the district. One such tank has been set up at Nazarbad PHC.
Taking into account all the biocontrol agents, larvivorous fish are widely used in vector control. Among various breeding sources, wells, ponds and streams were the main breeding habitats of malaria mosquitoes. “We thought that this is the best way to control the mosquito breeding and decided to implement it across the district,” District Vector-Borne Diseases Control and Food Control Officer Dr. Chidambara told SOM.
Generally, Gambusia affinis, or mosquito-fish, can be released in the ditch, pond or any water body in the neighbourhood where mosquito larvae germinate. Gambusia would finish off larvae over 40 times its body weight in a day.
“Each water tank will cost Rs. 15,000 and the grants have been released from the respective Arogya Raksha Committee of the PHC,” he said.
The National Vector-Borne Diseases Control Programme of the Union Ministry of Health encourages the use of the larva-fish or mosquito-fish to control the mosquito population and even the World Health Organisation has advocated its use in countries which continue to be affected by diseases like malaria. As Gambusia can be cultured along with other edible fish without any impact on the local fish population, there are plans to release them in over 2,880 water bodies in the district including over 480 lakes, wells, ponds and agricultural ponds (krishi honda), Dr. Chidambara added.
This post was published on May 23, 2022 6:44 pm