A small fish measuring just three inches may offer a promising solution to the escalating malaria crisis. Known as “Gambusia Affinis Halbrooki,” this fish is an aggressive predator of the larvae of Anopheles Stephensi, the mosquito responsible for spreading malaria in urban areas.
A groundbreaking two-year study conducted in Hyderabad has highlighted the potential of this fish in malaria control. This relatively obscure experiment could significantly alter the approach taken by the National Malaria Eradication Programme (NMEP). The research was spearheaded by Dr. N. L. Sitaraman from the NMEP Regional Coordinating Organization in Bangalore, along with Dr. M. A. Karim and Dr. G. Venkata Reddy from the Andhra Pradesh Health Department.
The researchers introduced Gambusia into all 3,800 wells throughout Hyderabad. Following this release, the number of mosquito larvae in these wells was halved almost immediately. After six months, only 18 pupae were recorded in any of the wells, and as long as the fish were present, breeding of mosquitoes was effectively eliminated. Consequently, malaria cases remained at minimal levels or completely absent.
The cost of maintaining this method of malaria control was remarkably low, estimated at just ₹15 per month for keeping the wells free from mosquito larvae.
Original Source: https://www.thehindu.com/archives/from-the-archives-december-4-1975-a-fish-to-control-malaria/article70354789.ece
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Publish Date: 2025-12-04 02:31:00
