Vector control through environmental management with special reference to India--approach prospectives.

ABSTRACT

The introduction of different types of pollutants like those from industrial effluence, bye-products from petro-chemical industries, pesticidal application, wastages of nuclear power industries, etc. is viewed seriously by the society. For the control of vectors of disease the adoption of environmental management is, therefore, imperative. The physical methods like drainage of excess and waste water, making water unsuitable for vector breeding by adopting various indigenous methods in vogue, the intra and inter-sectrol coordination and community based activities are identified as the basic approaches for achieving this goal. Minimising the potentiality of vector breeding through source reduction and water management is thought to be the simplest, cheapest and most permanent method. For the society having varying types of habitation and varying degree of habitational facilities like planned housing, water supply and disposal, sanitation and organized anti-vector measures, the adoption of environmental management to exercise check over vector population is a promising proposition. The suitability of such an approach has already been demonstrated by MRC, (ICMR), Delhi and V.C.R.C., Pondicherry. The implementation of these methods is to be initiated right from Primary Health Centre and district level onwards and community is to be motivated to the extent that the various methods of environmental management for vector control are adopted in the routine way of life. In the present article these ideas have been touched upon and various methods of environmental management described in brief. In addition what other Governmental agencies are required to do in order to effectively implement environmental management methods are briefly enlisted.