Maharashtra offers ₹500 to tribal families for malaria testing in Gadchiroli

The Maharashtra government has rolled out a cash incentive scheme in Gadchiroli district to encourage tribal communities to undergo malaria testing, in an effort to reduce the region's disproportionately high disease burden. The initiative is part of a broader strategy that also involves traditional healers in the formal healthcare network.

Under the scheme, a tribal family will receive ₹500 if a member with fever approaches the health system and tests positive for malaria. Similarly, a traditional healer, known locally as a vaidu or pujari, will be paid ₹200 for referring a patient who later tests positive through a rapid diagnostic test (RDT). The order was issued by the Gadchiroli Zilla Parishad health department on June 24.

Dr. Abhay Bang, who heads the Malaria Control Task Force appointed by the Maharashtra government, said the incentive is a first for malaria in India. "We hope that this will lead to early testing and early treatment of malaria," he said, drawing a parallel with the smallpox eradication campaign of the 1970s, when cash prizes were offered to those who reported smallpox patients.

Gadchiroli, a largely forested district where around 70% of the land is covered by dense jungle, accounts for just 1% of Maharashtra's population but contributes 33% of the state's malaria cases. Between January 1 and August 15 this year, 3,004 cases were reported from the district, with 1,680 recorded in July alone.

Dr. Bang attributed the high burden to several factors: the environmental conditions of dense forests, behavioural challenges arising from the tribal population's traditional reliance on informal healthcare, a historically weak healthcare system due to long-running Maoist insurgency in the area, and mosquitoes that have developed resistance to sprayed insecticides.

To drive behavioural change, the health department has launched awareness campaigns. District Health Officer Dr. Pratap Shinde said information, education, and communication (IEC) activities are held in tribal schools every Monday, and health booths are set up during weekly bazaar days. RDT kits have been distributed widely across the district.

Tribal people who approach the health department directly with a fever and test positive for malaria are eligible for the ₹500 family incentive. The scheme is designed to reduce delays in diagnosis and treatment, which are critical in controlling malaria in high-transmission areas. The government hopes that involving traditional healers will bridge the gap between informal community practices and the formal health system, leading to earlier detection and better outcomes.