National Anti-Malaria Programme, renamed as National Vector Borne Disease Control Programme (NVBDCP) during 2003, was one of the stand alone disease control programmes brought under the National Rural Health Mission with effect from April 2005. A performance review of implementation of the programme in Meghalaya revealed that while in one district, there was some improvement in both the Annual Parasite Incidence (API) and death cases due to malaria during 2007 compared to the previous year, there was an increase in the incidence of malaria cases and deaths due to malaria in the four other districts selected for detailed scrutiny.
Following are some of the main audit findings:
1. The API and death cases due to malaria increased by 86 per cent and 524 per cent respectively during 2007 over 2003, despite an expenditure of Rs. 23.70 crore during the period.
2. Collection of blood samples of 12.41 lakh people with the utilisation of 5,17,700 micro-slides and 39,200 pricking needles by using these more than once could adversely affect the health of the people.
3. Shortfall in coverage of targeted population under spraying operations led to increase in API and malarial deaths during 2003-07.
4. Quality of spraying operations remained questionable because of non-availability of vehicles required for the purpose.
5. In the absence of proper infrastructure in the Entomological Cell, entomological observations and other activities of the Cell largely remained dormant, leading to considerable increase in the incidence of malaria.