One in four families report having dengue or malaria, and 73% say the local government isn’t doing anything about it, according to a survey

This year, more and more states have reported dengue and chikungunya infections, with West Bengal leading the way. Many individuals have complained that their local government is not doing enough to avoid problems, such as fogging and cleaning the drains.

This year, between 1,000 and 10,000 dengue cases have been recorded in over 20 states, while another 15 have registered around 1,000 patients.

Despite an increase in cases in Delhi and Mumbai, according to a LocalCircles poll, 73% of respondents said no anti-mosquito fogging has been done in their region within the previous 45 days.

In the poll, participants were asked whether their panchayats or municipal corporation had performed anti-mosquito fogging in the neighborhood during the previous 45 days. Out of 11,508 respondents, 49% clearly said “no,” 24% claimed “they never do it,” 21% replied “yes,” and 4% said fogging was done “multiple times.”

Typically, mosquitoes grow in monsoon or humid conditions, and during certain times of the year, vector-borne illnesses become a recurring concern in the nation.

The next question in the poll asked participants whether their municipal corporation or panchayat had taken any concrete steps in previous years to stop the spread of illnesses carried by mosquitoes during the monsoon. 73% of respondents said emphatically, “No, they haven’t,” while 21% responded, “Yes, they have,” and 6% said they were unsure.

For malaria, people often use home remedies, however for dengue, they typically seek medical attention until the patient’s condition deteriorates. When asked whether any of their family members had been sick from illnesses spread by mosquitoes in the previous three years, 28% responded yes, while 19% stated that multiple members of their family had been affected, and 9% claimed that just one member of their family had become ill. However, according to 66% of respondents, no one in their family had been unwell in the previous three years as a result of a vector-borne illness.

Respondents were asked how much they spend monthly on mosquito control, notwithstanding city authorities’ lack of strong action to stop the proliferation of mosquitoes. Out of 12,068 homes, 41% reported monthly spending under Rs 200, 30% between Rs 200 and 500, and 7% and 2% between Rs 500 and Rs 5,000. Just 4% of respondents were unable to clearly reply.

When asked which specific goods and services they use to keep mosquitoes at bay in their homes, the respondents provided the following responses: 54% utilized repellent liquids or sprays, 52% battery-operated rackets, 44% repellent machines, and 28% anti-mosquito lotions. Nearly 26% of respondents reported using coils, 4% reported “patches,” 18% “fogging services,” and 16% other goods and services.

More than 58,000 people in 327 districts throughout India responded to the poll. Nearly 62% of respondents were males, 38% were women, and 47%, 34%, and 19%, respectively, were from tiers 1, 2, and 3, as well as rural regions.