Bhubaneswar, June 2 -- Bhubaneswar: Odisha government today decided to extend its malaria control programme up to 2030-31 to eradicate the vector-borne disease.

The decision was taken at an inter-departmental coordination meeting chaired by Chief Secretary A K Tripathy.

The state claimed that its 'DAMaN' (Durgam Anchalare Malaria Nirakaran), malaria control programme in inaccessible areas, has been a huge success.

With the monsoon likely to arrive in the state by mid-June and Odisha already coping with COVID-19, the chief secretary asked the health and family welfare department to prepare an integrated IEC (Information, Education and Communication) model for vector-borne and water-borne diseases as well as novel coronavirus.

He also i...