Integrated Vector Management in India

Introduction

Vector-borne diseases (VBDs) have been affecting the community adversely in terms of health and socio-economic development. VBDs, such as Malaria, Dengue, Chikungunya, Zika, Japanese Encephalitis, Lymphatic Filariasis and Visceral Leishmaniasis (Kala-azar), remain in the limelight as National Vector Borne Diseases Control Programme under National Center for Vector Borne Diseases Control (NCVBDC) looks after the prevention and control of these diseases. However, other VBDs like Scrub Typhus (Mite borne), Tick Typhus, Kyasanur Forest Disease (KFD), Crimean Congo Hemorrhagic Fever (CCHR-Tick-borne), Plague (Flea borne), Cutaneous Leishmaniasis, Chandipura viral fever, Sandfly fever (Sand fly-borne), Lyme disease and other vector-borne viral, bacterial, parasitic diseases are spreading, millions of people are at risk for such infections.

Integrated Vector Management

Integrated Vector Management (IVM) is a rotional decision-making process to optimise the use of resources for vector control. It requires a management approach that improves the efficacy, cost-effectiveness, ecological soundness and sustainability of vector control interventions with the available tools and resources. IVM facililtates resources to be used more efficiently to control multiple VBDs thereby impacting significantly on public health than doing control programmes focused on a single disease. The multi-disease strategy under IVM is applicable to other VBDs with integrated approach. IVM thus translates the conventional system of vector control by making it more evidence based, integrated and participative. However, it requires changes in roles, responsibilities of various stakeholders and institutional mechanism for implementation of IVM.

Key elements of IVM are advocacy, social mobilisation, stregthening of regulatory and legislative controls for public health, empowerment of communities, collaboration withing the health. Other sectors are in planning, decision-making, use of available resources for vector control, implementation of evidence-based strategies and capacity-building.

The Basic Concepts For IVM Implementation are :

• Which mosquito species are locally important as vectors of human diseases?
• Whisch mosquito species are important as the primary source of annoyance?
• What are the important breeding sites of different mosquito species?
• What is the seasonal pattern of mosquito breeding?
• What are the resting places of adult mosquitoes?
• What are the feeding preferences of vector mosquitoes?
• To map out and locate all potential breeding sites
• To identify the mosquito/sand fly species present
• To predict the time and location of effective control strategies

Strategy

IVM includes implementing all feasible strategies safely with or without insecticides to manage the vector population in such a way that disease transmission is kept under check. It also includes the management of insecticide resistance by rotation within the same or different groups. The multiple strategic components recommended and used under the public health programme are shown in Above Figure.

To view the Manual for Integrated Vector Management in India, released by National Center for Vector Borne Diseases Control (NVBDCP), click here.

Source : National Center for Vector Borne Diseases Control (NVBDCP)