World Mosquito Day - Be Prepared, Be Insured
World Mosquito Day - Be Prepared, Be Insured
Published on August 12, 2021. EST READ TIME: 3 minutes
Each year, August 20th is celebrated as World Mosquito Day. This is in memory of Dr. Ronald Ross who was the first person to discover that it is the female mosquitoes that are responsible for transmitting malaria among humans.
The rainy season brings much respite to a large part of India which has been baked in the summer sun. With the environment looking greener than ever, the monsoons are a time for family snacks and enjoyable drives. However, this nurturing time is also a cradle to several mosquito borne diseases which can be extremely dangerous and at times, fatal.
In fact, many health organizations deem the tiny mosquito as one of the most lethal creatures in the world, due to its ability to bear and spread several forms of diseases to a huge population. Several thousands of deaths, each year, are attributed to these creatures.
In the forthcoming sections, we will examine a few of these common diseases, related symptoms and their treatment. This is bound to make a strong case for a robust family health insurance to be in place, for being prepared for such mishaps and unforeseen misfortunes.
What are the Common Mosquito Borne Diseases in India
The diseases transmitted by mosquitoes fall under the category of Vector-Borne Diseases since they are transmitted by living organisms, also referred to as vectors. While different kinds of mosquitoes might act as the carrier of different kinds of viruses, the infection trigger and overall impact is similarly severe. Poor hygiene in the environment, stagnant water areas are breeding grounds for these lethal organisms.
The table provided below tries to encapsulate some of the most prevalent, yet dangerous, of such diseases, their common symptoms and possible treatments.
| Vector-Borne Disease | Common Symptoms | Possible Treatments |
| Malaria | Fever and chills, headache, fatigue, nausea and vomiting, sweating, abdominal pain leading to diarrhea |
|
| Dengue | Very high fever, severe headaches, general weakness, nausea and vomiting, eye pain, skin rashes on the skin, joint aches, muscle spasms, bleeding of gums |
|
| Chikungunya | Fever, joint and muscle pain, headache, swelling or inflammation of the joints |
|
| Japanese Encephalitis | Fever, nausea, headaches, retardation in brain activities, loss of senses, convulsions |
|
Dengue and Malaria have become household terrors due to their prevalence and frequency all over India, not just in monsoons but round the year.
Importance of health Insurance
As per the National Vector Borne Disease Control Programme (NVBDCP), which falls under the Health Ministry of India, there have been lakhs of reported cases of malaria and thousands of reported cases for dengue each year. While this number has seen a dip in the last 2 years, it is still an alarming number. As per the table in the previous section, you can notice a rather worrisome pattern. The symptoms of most of these diseases are rather similar which means detailed diagnostics are required to ensure the right disease is identified. Also, a lot of the treatments may involve hospitalization and presently no vaccine exists as a means of prevention. Needless to say, both the diagnostics and supportive care require significant expenditure.
Family Health Insurance is your guaranteed safeguard during such an unfortunate event. The right insurance plan will cover a multitude of expenses like diagnostics, ambulance services, hospitalization, follow-up consultations et al. Another important benefit provided by health insurance is tax deduction under section 80D of the IT Act, which can provide you significant savings on your taxable income.
Conclusion
Prevention is always considered better than cure. Some of the critical diseases caused by mosquitoes do not have any known vaccine. Hence, the best preventive measures you have at your disposal are to follow the appropriate environment management guidelines to ensure a mosquito free vicinity and a robust family health insurance plan with appropriate coverage for all members.
The latter will take care of the considerable expenditure you might incur during pre and post hospitalization including the costs for the several tests which will be warranted for the right diagnosis.
Disclaimer: The above information is for illustrative purposes only. For more details, please refer to policy wordings and prospectus before concluding the sales.
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