It was launched by Government of India in April 1953. Its aim was to reduce the incidence of malaria by residual spraying with DDT. The programme operated successfully for 5 years.
Malaria is communicable disease caused by a parasitic protozoa belonging to the genus Plasmodium. Malaria is characterised by periodic chills and fever, enlargement of spleen and secondary anemia.
Filaria is also an infectious disease caused by the bite of culex mosquito. It can happen to any person. The causative organism is a Nematode known as 'Wuchereria (filaria) bancrofti' these is small thread-like worms found in the blood of a person suffering from the disease.
Malaria is a widely prevalent disease in India. It makes the person weak as frequent attacks of malaria destroy the RBC's in blood. As a result, it makes the person anemic and prone to other infections. Generally malaria occurs due to two types of organisms.
Malaria is the most important of all tropical diseases and one of the worst curses of humanity, remains even today a serious health problem in our country.