WHO taps Mumbai dabbawalas for disease prevention campaign

The World Health Organisation (WHO) has roped in Mumbai's dabbawala network to spread awareness about diseases such as malaria and dengue.

On 7 April, World Health Day, the ubiquitous dabbawalas will deliver their daily quota of approximately 400,000 tiffin boxes with little tags carrying preventive messages on diseases transmitted by mosquitoes, flies and so on.

WHO, jointly with government of Maharashtra and Nutan Mumbai Tiffin Box Suppliers Charity Trust, is launching this innovative awareness programme aimed at a larger and more focused campaign on prevention of and control of vector-borne diseases.

The WHO's awareness campaign, 'Small bite, big threat,' urges people to take steps to prevent disease.

Vector-borne diseases are spread by mosquitos, insects, bacteria, viruses and the parasites that they carry.

''In India, the burden and risk of vector-borne diseases is massive and it is mostly found in areas with poorest health systems where population is most exposed,'' Nata Menabde, WHO representative in India, said on Wednesday.

''Reaching out to a larger number of Mumbaikars will certainly have a multiplier effect on spreading the message on prevention measures especially sanitisation and we are happy to be associated with WHO for this cause,'' said Reghunath Medge, president Nutan Mumbai Tiffin Box Suppliers Charity Trust.

Vector-borne diseases account for 17 per cent of global infectious diseases and about 70 per cent of this affects poor and marginalised communities in developing countries.

Menabde discounted quality fears about India's  low-cost medicines and said she stood by the quality of plants cleared by the WHO.

In fact, she said, the WHO is looking to expand the basket of drugs sourced from India beyond HIV/AIDS and tuberculosis to cardiac and other segments, too.

The immediate concern, however, is improving India's healthcare system where government spending is just over 1 per cent of GDP, she said.