Staff shortage hits malaria surveillance campaign in city

{ CIVIC BODY DATA } 554 OF 839 POSTS VACANT

- Vicky Pathare

A severe shortage of staff at Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) insect control department has affected efforts to track and control malaria with health experts warning that it could delay timely action against the spread of disease.

As per data, 66% staff positions are vacant in the department — 554 of 839 approved posts are yet to be filled. The vacant positions include 74 superintendent field workers, 41 malaria investigators, and 273 field workers-all key roles in disease surveillance & control.

The active surveillance drive, under the National Vector Borne Disease Control Programme (NVBDCP), has remained critically low in Pune in the past three years.