We ought to congratulate Sri Lanka for eliminating malaria. Yes, there is no malaria in Sri Lanka. The success story is remarkable for several reasons. The country is poor. Eight of ten Sri Lankans live in villages. The rural milieu provides an ideal environment for malaria mosquitoes to breed, grow and multiply. And the government was fighting a long battle with LTTE during this period.
How did Sri Lanka fight malariaโagainst all odds? It nipped the mosquitoes in bud, got half the population inside the net, tracked every case, and diagnosed and treated the disease, quickly and accurately. It used the grants from the global funds, meaningfully. Its health staff joined hands with the NGOs, funding agencies and local communities to contain malaria.
Indian cricketers have learnt so much from their Sri Lankan counterpartsโDilshanโs Dilscoop, and Muralitharan’s ability to run through batting sides, as an example. It is high time that the Indian government also picks up a lesson or two from the Sri Lankan government to learn how to conquer malaria.
