5) National Vector Borne Disease Control program.

The District Malaria Officer (DMO) is the nodal authority responsible for prevention and control of vector borne diseases such as malaria, Dengue, Chikun gunya, Filariasis, Japanese encephalitis etc. The DMO office is located in central administrative building adjacent to Zilla Parishad building. It houses district laboratory for examination of blood smear. There are Malaria Laboratories at every RH and PHC Jawla, Ujani, Chapoli, Devarjan, Her, Handarguli, Lamjana, Belkund, Wadhavana

Active Surveillance - It is done by health workers (MPW & ANM) through their routine home visits. So also they do entomological surveillance by examining water containers fortnightly. The peripheral blood smears (thick and thin) are collected by health workers and sent to nearest Laboratories for confirmatory diagnosis of malaria. 

During 2007-08, in all total 1,70,161 PBS (Peripheral Blood Smears) were taken through active surveillance while 96,418 PBS were taken as passive surveillance. During 2007-08 total 110 cases of malaria were diagnosed by laboratory, while 108 cases were given radical treatment for malaria. 

Passive Surveillance - Detection of fever cases from patient attending OPD/IPD are called as passive surveillance's. The PBS is collected in PHC, RH, SDH and District Hospital is examined by lab for confirmatory diagnosis. 

Implementation of Malaria Control Activities -

Identification of risk status of PHC and villages

Early case detection and prompt treatment of vector borne disease cases through active and passive surveillance. 

Immediate laboratory examination of blood smears within 72 hrs.

Radical treatments of smear positive cases within 7 days.

Vector (Mosquito) control diseases - sanitary measures, insecticide spraying, fogging and biological control of vectors through Guppy fishes. 

120 Guppi fish hatcheries are spread all over the district in rural and urban areas. These Guppi fishes eat the larva of anopheles, aedes, culex.

There has been considerable decline in malaria cases during last 5 years. The annual parasitic index (API) of the Latur district is less than 0.05 since last 5 years. This is the success of malaria control activities in the Latur district.