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Staff shortage hits malaria surveillance drive in Pune
Pune's insect control department faces a 66% staff shortage, hindering malaria tracking efforts. Experts urge filling vacancies for better surveillance.
A severe shortage of staff at Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) insect control department has affected efforts to track and control malaria with health experts warning that it could delay timely action against the spread of the disease.
According to the official data, 66% staff positions are vacant in the department — 554 of 839 approved posts are yet to be filled. The vacant positions include 74 superintendent field workers, 41 malaria investigators, and 273 field workers — all key roles in disease surveillance and control.
The active surveillance drive, under the National Vector Borne Disease Control Programme (NVBDCP), has remained critically low in Pune in the past three years.
As part of the campaign, health workers collect blood samples of symptomatic individuals for malaria parasites tests. The tests conducted annually is measured by a parameter called the Annual Blood Smear Examination Rate (ABER). NVBDCP recommends minimum ABER of 10% of the total population. However, the ABER in Pune city has remained just 3% for the past three years.
“Less ABER means the civic body is testing far fewer people than required, making it difficult to get an accurate picture of how malaria is spreading,” said a senior health officer on request of anonymity.
Similarly, as part of passive surveillance, patients visiting the outpatient department (OPD) and fever clinics in civic hospitals are tested for malaria. PMC have screened 76,685 patients through active surveillance and 384,249 through passive surveillance in the past three years.
Doctors and public health experts are calling for urgent steps to fill vacant posts and boost frontline manpower. “We need more trained staff and greater community outreach, especially during the monsoon season when mosquito-borne diseases tend to spike,” said a public health expert from the city.
Dr Rajesh Dighe, assistant health chief and head of PMC insect control department, said ASHA (accredited social health activists) will be roped in for active surveillance of malaria. “ASHA volunteers will be trained and given ₹15 per sample, and ₹75 per sample if the person is positive for malaria. PMC has bought kits required for taking blood smear samples,” he said.
Dr Sandeep Sangale, joint director, vector borne diseases control programme, Maharashtra, said, “We will ask PMC about the effective implementation of the malaria elimination and control programme. The civic administration will be asked to ensure the programme is not hampered.”
