Community perspective and healthcare assessment in malaria endemic states of India: a cross-sectional study protocol.

INTRODUCTION: India's contribution to the malaria burden was highest in South-East Asia Region in 2021, accounting for 79% of the estimated malaria cases and 83% of malaria-related deaths. Intensified Malaria Control Programme supported by Global Funds to Fight against AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria has deployed crucial interventions to reduce the overall burden of malaria in India. Evaluation of utilisation of malaria elimination interventions by the community and assessment of the healthcare system is underway in eleven high malaria endemic states in India. Health system preparedness for malaria elimination, logistics, and supply chain management of diagnostic kits and anti-malarial drugs in addition to the knowledge, attitude and practice of the healthcare workers is also being assessed. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: The study is being undertaken in 11 malaria endemic states with a variable annual parasite incidence of malaria. In total, 47 districts (administrative unit of malaria control operations) covering 37 976 households are to be interviewed and assessed. We present here the protocol following which the study is being undertaken at the behest and approval of Ministry of Health and Family Welfare in India. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: No patients were involved in the study. Study findings will be shared with Institutional ethics board of National Institute for Malaria Research New Delhi (NIMR) in a timely, comprehensive, accurate, unbiased, unambiguous and transparent manner and to the National Vector-borne Disease (Malaria) Control Programme officers and the Community public who participated. Important findings will be communicated through community outreach meetings which are existing in the Health system. Results will be informed to study participants via local fieldwork supervised by District Malaria Officers. Also findings will be published in reputed journals based on Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) publication policy.The ICMR-NIMR ethics committee approved the study via letter No. NIMR/ECM/2023/Feb/14 dated 24 April 2023 for version 5. All standard ethical practices will be followed.

Unraveling Dengue Dynamics: In-Depth Epidemiological and Entomological Analyses in Bengaluru, India.

In view of the increased number of detected dengue cases in Bengaluru, a request for situation analysis was received from local health authorities in the selected area. The study included epidemiological and entomological assessments to understand the same. The immature forms collected were allowed to emerge, pooled, and processed for vector incrimination. In the surveyed population (347), 20 (5.8%) reported fever cases and 12 (3.5%) were confirmed as dengue cases among the 102 families. Stegomyia indices were high. Vector incrimination studies revealed pools positive for the presence of dengue virus in flower pots, fridge trays, plastic barrels, and rubber tires habitats. This study highlights the increased risk of dengue fever incidence in communities wherepoor intra and peri-domestic sanitation practices are prevailing and recommendsregular entomological surveillance of denguevirus in its vector population..