From the Archives, December 4, 1975: A Fish to Control Malaria

NEW DELHI, Dec. 3: A three-inch long fish may be the solution to controlling the resurgence of malaria, which has become a significant issue. Known as ‘Gambusia Affinis Halbrooki,’ this fish is a voracious eater of anopheles Stephensi larvae, the mosquitoes that spread malaria in urban areas. An experiment conducted in Hyderabad city has shown promising results in using this fish to combat malaria. The study, led by Dr. N. L. Sitaraman, Dr. M. A. Karim, and Dr. G. Venkata Reddy, demonstrated the effectiveness of releasing Gambusia in the city’s 3,800 wells. Shortly after release, the mosquito larvae density in the wells decreased by half. Within six months, only 18 pupae were found in all the wells, keeping them mosquito-breeding free as long as the fish were present. This approach led to low to non-existent malaria cases, with a monthly cost of only ₹15 to maintain the wells’ breeding-free status.