Drugged cartel
The National Vector Borne Disease C ontrol P rogramme is in the process of changing the country's drug policy. A meeting was held in March 2006 to discuss new directions but the final policy has not yet been determined. In October 2005, a workshop was held by nimr to discuss the drug policy and come to a consensus regarding treatment of both Pv and Pf. The group suggested that oral artemisinin derivatives should be used only in combinations to ensure that resistance against them is not developed.
But the process of change can be described as too little, too late. As of now, treatment is presumptive, which helps pathogens to become increasingly drug-resistant. Moreover, the government does not seem to be particularly interested in shifting to artemisinin-based therapies. A sample of the denial mode comes from P L Joshi, director, nvbdcp. "We have changed the policy wherever there is a resistance problem. All Pf is not resistant to chloroquine and sp. In Assam, response to chloroquine is very good. Implementation is a problem. There is a need to give the full dose. Only then, one should say that it is not working. Health is a state subject