Socio-economic aspects of malaria in India — a literature review

Abstract

Spraying insecticide and treating cases of malaria is no longer all that is needed to control malaria. Today this requires a good deal of epidemiological and technical expertise. The epidemiology of malaria differs from place to place and from time to time, and thus a continuous study of the changing situation and development of appropriate technology is required to deal with this (Saigal. 1983). It is gradually realized that human factors, in addition to environmental factors, are responsible for the maintenance of high levels of malaria infection in tropical countries in the world. Hence, the efforts for eradication of malaria have now been focused in this direction. The change in human ecology is emerging as a continuing problem when dealing with the eradication process. The most significant fact is the vicious circle of malaria, namely the relationship between malaria and poverty, ignorance, illiteracy, malnutrition and social deprivation. Not only has malaria contributed to poverty and ill health, but the syndrome of under-development also acts as an antecedent of malaria.