India should
learn from Sri Lanka
How did Sri
Lanka become malaria-free? India should find out this and adopt the
same method of eradicating malaria in our country. Even the World Health Organisation recognised this huge public health achievement. With no local transmission reported, Sri Lanka’s priority since October 2012 has been to prevent its return
from outside
Sri Lanka adopted a two-pronged strategy of
targeting both vector and parasite. They did early detection and treatment of
asymptomatic parasite carriers. There were major challenges the country had to
face before it interrupted local transmission.
Sri Lanka now joins
the ranks of 34 countries that have been certified malaria-free since the 1960s. The Maldives was certified so in 2015; Argentina and Kyrgyzstan may
soon be. Eradication of the disease in India remains a challenge, but it could
learn some lessons from Sri Lanka
We have to
commend Sri Lanka for eradicating malaria. Keeping the whole country clean at
all times must have been the key to stamping out the highly infectious disease.
India should emulate the Island nation by keeping the country always hygienic
as a portent to wiping out malaria.
Sri Lanka has
achieved this feet by making inclusive Malaria control. Taking house visits to
attend cases and to create awareness is a wonderful achievement in Malaria
eradication. Though they are accused of being inhuman to Lankan Tamils, at
least for the health of the people they did a lot and it is an achievement.
Efficient
healthcare measures must be learned from Sri Lanka. Though a small country with
meagre resources, Sri Lanka developed good system of monitoring malaria causing
parasites and people affected by the disease. India also should shift its
priority from mosquitoes to the parasite which causes malaria and other
diseases. While sanitation and clean environment may reduce mosquitoes, the
root of the problem should be addressed along with clean surroundings. Only
multi-pronged strategies can free India of malaria.
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