Gandhinagar, July 17 (IANS). Gujarat Health Department has conducted more than 94 lakh malaria tests so far this year, intensifying surveillance and prevention campaigns to prevent mosquito-borne diseases during monsoon. More than 19,500 health teams have reached 6.51 crore people by going door-to-door across the state.
According to the state government, this campaign is being run under the ‘National Vector Borne Disease Control Programme’ under the guidance of Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel and the leadership of Health Minister Praful Panseria. It aims to prevent the spread of diseases like malaria, dengue and chikungunya during monsoon.
Health department officials said that so far in the year 2026, a record 94 lakh blood samples have been tested for early detection of malaria. Of these, malaria was confirmed in 486 people, who were provided free treatment by the government.
To strengthen testing for other vector-borne diseases, special testing centers have been set up in 42 hospitals affiliated to medical colleges in the state.
At these centres, 65,293 serum samples have been tested for dengue and 9,963 serum samples for chikungunya. Along with this, the department has also intensified monitoring at the field level.
More than 19,500 health teams covered a population of over 6.51 crore in the second phase of the statewide door-to-door survey campaign. During this period, people with symptoms of fever were examined, in which 28 new malaria patients were identified and their immediate treatment was started.
As part of mosquito prevention, more than 29 lakh potential mosquito breeding sites have been destroyed across the state. Apart from this, fogging has been done in more than three lakh houses to reduce the number of mosquitoes.
For long-term control, special fish that eat mosquito larvae have been released in 4,998 waterlogged places throughout the year.
Officials said around 1.06 lakh people have been covered in the first phase of pesticide spraying in 116 villages in 24 districts vulnerable to vector-borne diseases. The second phase of spraying campaign will start from August 1.
Health Minister Praful Panseria appealed to all the sarpanches of the state to provide administrative and social support to make this campaign a mass movement.
The Health Department said that adequate availability of anti-malarial drugs, insecticides and larvicides has been ensured across the state. Besides, public awareness campaign is also being run through social media and print media.
According to officials, the situation of vector-borne diseases is being continuously monitored on daily, weekly and monthly levels, so that the spread of infection can be effectively controlled.
–IANS
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