Integrated Vector Management: Policy and Implementation under National Vector Borne Disease Control Programme, India

One of the major Public Health Programmes in India for control of malaria is now covering six vector borne diseases viz., Malaria, Dengue, Chikungunya, Japanese encephalitis, Visceral leishmaniasis and Lymphatic Filariasis. The programme is therefore renamed as National Vector Borne Disease Control Programme (NVBDCP). The prevention and control of vector borne diseases are based on parasite control and vector management. Vector control strategies under NVBDCP were proved to be a successful tool in interrupting disease transmission with high coverage but later they showed their weaknesses, especially related to technology and management issues. It is well known that the development of insecticide resistance played a role in the breakdown of the malaria eradication campaign of the 1960s. This necessitated to reduce over- reliance on a single intervention and to adopt synchronization of different tools in an integrated manner with flexible approach to the control of vector- borne diseases. Policies and programme activities of vector control, in an integrated manner, have been detailed in the article.