AP Trains Insect Collectors To Curb Mosquito-Borne Diseases
Collectors were trained to use mosquito collection tubes to capture mosquitoes from resting places, particularly during night hours. The specimens collected are later examined to determine their species and associated disease risks.
VIJAYAWADA: In a bid to control seasonal fevers, the Andhra Pradesh health authorities have launched a programme to provide practical training to insect collectors to strengthen mosquito surveillance and help district administrations curb the mosquito menace.
Acting on the directions of health minister Satya Kumar Yadav, officials are training insect collectors to identify different species of mosquitoes and the diseases they transmit. These include Anopheles mosquitoes that spread malaria, Aedes mosquitoes responsible for dengue and chikungunya, and Culex mosquitoes that cause filaria and Japanese encephalitis.
Following the detection of increased malaria cases in Jakkampudi on the outskirts of Vijayawada, insect collectors were given hands-on training early on Wednesday morning. The training focused on identifying mosquito breeding and resting spots and assessing their movement and growth patterns.
Collectors were trained to use mosquito collection tubes to capture mosquitoes from resting places, particularly during night hours. The specimens collected are later examined to determine their species and associated disease risks.
Health commissioner G. Veerapandian said that based on the data gathered, district authorities would intensify anti-larval operations, indoor residual spraying, fogging and other control measures in identified hotspots.
Officials said a similar initiative was undertaken in 2011, and the renewed effort aims to prevent people from becoming vulnerable to mosquito-borne diseases during the seasonal surge.
