Date:12/05/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/05/12/stories/2008051257680100.htm

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June is ‘Anti-Malaria Month’

Shastry V. Mallady

Designates Department of Public Health

Several activities will be rolled out to create public awareness
The Directorate of Public Health plans to fund month-long campaign

MADURAI: The Department of Public Health has designated June as ‘Anti-Malaria Month’ to take preventive measures across the State against the outbreak of malaria and other vector-borne diseases.

“Normally, June is the time when epidemiologically malaria cases are reported from all places. Hence, the Directorate of Public Health has asked district health officials to be alert,” S. Elango, Additional Director of Public Health, told The Hindu here on Sunday.

He said the period from June to December required vigil so as to check the spread of vector-borne diseases. Several activities would be carried out during the month to create public awareness.

Dr. Elango was here to attend the two-day ‘multi-colloquial brainstorming meeting on vector-borne diseases’ organised by the Centre for Research in Medical Entomology, a wing of the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), New Delhi.

He said district health officials would soon be instructed to undertake mosquito control/fogging operations. The Directorate planned to fund the month-long campaign.

Experts from research bodies and institutions, including ICMR Senior Deputy Director- General (Administration) M. Rajamani, took part at the meeting.