The union minister for health and family welfare Dr. Anbumani Ramadoss has called for a two-pronged strategy for elimination of Kala-Azar in the country.
Addressing a review meeting on Kala-Azar control programme with the state health ministers of Bihar, Jharkhand, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal, the minister said that there is an urgent need for close monitoring and supervision of programme implementation at all levels. Appropriate micro planning in consultation with inter-sectoral partners including civil society organizations is also needed, he added. Expressing concern over the rising incidents of Kala-Azar cases in the country, the minister said that the government is providing 100% assistance in cash and kind to four endemic states namely Bihar, Jharkhand, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal under the Kala-Azar control programme for insecticides and anti-Kala-Azar medicines as well as resource based IEC, capacity building and case search activities.
He underlined the need for a commitment in this regard and said that goals would only be achieved if there were conscious efforts on part of the states in respect of effective programme implementation and continual monitoring.
Earlier, while addressing the meeting, the minister of state for health & family welfare Panabaka Lakshmi stated that Kala-azar is not only a major health problem but also a cause of continuing poverty. She said that Government of India in its National Health Policy-2002 has committed elimination of Kala-azar by 2010 toward improving life of the citizens and paving a healthy nation. She said that there is need for programme implementation on a mission mode by the affected states.
Accountability of the government health care delivery systems need to be ensured by strengthening the public health care delivery services and building effective inter-sectoral partnerships, the minister added. The secretary, health and family welfare, Prasanna Hota, DG, Health Services, Dr. S.P. Agrawal, and the DG (NACO) Dr. S.Y. Quraishi also addressed the meeting.