The Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) allocated an unprecedented ₹96.79 crore for dengue control in the financial year 2024-25, reflecting intensified efforts to combat mosquito-borne diseases. This marks a significant increase from ₹87.99 crore the previous year. The expenditure covered ₹4.8 crore for fogging, ₹83.25 lakh on anti-larval measures, and ₹42.02 lakh on medicines and equipment. A notable addition included ₹17.05 lakh for worker training and ₹2.2 lakh for advertisements. Despite these efforts, dengue cases touched 5,700 by November 30, alongside three fatalities, underscoring the persistent challenge.
Interestingly, while dengue cases decreased from last year’s 9,266, other diseases like malaria and chikungunya saw alarming surges. Malaria cases doubled, reaching 766 compared to 384 in 2023, while chikungunya cases increased sixfold to 266. The seasonal shift due to delayed monsoons followed by early winters influenced mosquito breeding patterns, leading to a sharp spike in cases between September and October before declining with the cold. This trend, deviating from last year’s August to November surge, highlights the climatic impact on disease dynamics.
From a sustainability perspective, the growing costs and resource utilisation for mosquito control warrant a long-term focus on urban planning. Sustainable water management, improved waste disposal, and eco-friendly larvicidal solutions are essential to address the root causes of breeding grounds. This approach can reduce dependency on reactive measures like fogging, which have limited long-term effectiveness.
The MCD’s efforts also underline critical civic challenges. Despite inspecting 2.89 crore homes for mosquito breeding, a drop from last year’s 4.14 crore, gaps in public awareness and infrastructure persist. Investments in education campaigns and robust civic systems are vital to combat recurring outbreaks. The surge in Japanese encephalitis cases further highlights the need for a comprehensive urban health strategy to safeguard Delhi’s population.
