Gail ties up with WHO for anti-malaria drive

Gas major Gail (India) Ltd has tied up with the World Health Organisation and Sumitomo Chemicals in its effort to introduce long lasting ins...

Gas major Gail (India) Ltd has tied up with the World Health Organisation and Sumitomo Chemicals in its effort to introduce long lasting insecticidal (LLIN) bed nets for anti-Malaria programme in India. This is part of Gail’s corporate social responsibility project.

According to sources, WHO in association with Exxon Mobil and Sumitomo Chemicals has developed LLIN bed net made from High Density Polyethylene (HDPE) that has been incorporated with an anti-Malarial insecticide. The uniqueness of such nets compared to the existing practice of dipping the ordinary Polyester or Nylon nets into an insecticide solution is that the insecticide gets released at a very controlled rate from the net and kills the mosquitoes.

According to Gail officials, the company has taken the initiative to introduce these LLIN nets in India. The project would be implemented on a pilot scale by Gail in one or two identified malaria prone blocks in Andhra Pradesh.

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Talking to The Indian Express, Gail CMD Proshanto Banerjee said that this is part of the corporate social responsibility programme. “We have taken up this project more so since India is a country which is quite heavily infected with malaria”, he added.

Under this collaboration, Sumitomo Chemicals has already agreed to give a sample of 1 MT of insecticide incorporated HDPE granules to Gail to take up a production trial, distribution and feedback from the field. The use of this material requires an approval by Ministry of Health, which is already in the process.

Gail officials said that two net manufacturers have been identified in Karur, Tamil Nadu, where mosquito nets are produced in large quantities. Then the Pilot Project would be taken up for which the material cost would be borne by Gail.