LUCKNOW, May 23 -- Over 20 lakh people in nine districts will benefit from a chemical shield against malaria-causing mosquitoes as the Uttar Pradesh health department has initiated an exercise to cut the incidence rate of malaria.

The initiative uses synthetic pyrethroids-a synthetic chemical insecticide- which is sprayed inside houses and is effective against Anopheles culicifacies mosquito that spreads malaria and is found in rural India. Specific areas have been selected for the initiative.

Principal secretary, medical and health, Partha Sarthi Sen Sharma, said annual parasite incidence (API) is the ground for selection of areas for the initiative.

If the API is more than one in any village then all villages falling under the health...