Community based bioenvironmental control of malaria in Kheda District, Gujarat, India

A study on the bioenvironmental control of malaria was launched in 1983 in Nadiad taluka, Gujarat, with help of village communities. The implementation of strategy resulted in the successful control of larval mosquitoes and reduction in the adult vector populations, and the impact was visible in the curtailment of malaria transmission in large rural areas. When compared with the residual spraying of insecticides under the National Malaria Eradication Programme, the alternate strategy was found feasible, socially acceptable, cost effective and brought about environmental improvement and awareness in the rural areas.