Pune is currently grappling with an increase in mosquito-borne diseases such as dengue, chikungunya, and Zika, but efforts to curb the spread of these diseases are being hindered by a significant manpower shortage in the city’s Insect Control Department.

Out of the 330 approved positions for field workers in the department, only 60 have been filled, leaving the department functioning at just 18% capacity.

The department, which is a part of the Pune Municipal Corporation’s (PMC) Health Department, is responsible for conducting critical operations like fogging, applying larvicides in mosquito breeding sites, controlling rodents, and monitoring malaria cases. However, the acute shortage of field staff has made it difficult to implement these measures effectively.

The PMC has resorted to hiring a large number of contract workers to address this shortfall, but the hiring is often seasonal and limited to the monsoon months when mosquito populations surge. This short-term approach has left the city vulnerable to the continued spread of these diseases throughout the year.

According to Dr. Rajesh Dighe, Assistant Health Officer of the PMC, the department has a total of 814 sanctioned positions, with 330 of them dedicated to field workers responsible for controlling mosquito and rodent populations.

These workers also collect blood samples from suspected malaria patients and measure mosquito density by collecting live samples. Despite the crucial nature of their work, only 60 positions have been filled, significantly affecting the department’s ability to function at full capacity.

In response to this shortage, Health Chief Dr. Neena Borade stated that a proposal to recruit 150 contract workers has been submitted to the Standing Committee for approval.

This recruitment is expected to alleviate some of the pressure on the department and improve the city’s ability to combat the spread of mosquito-borne diseases.