India can consider integration of three eliminable disease control programmes on malaria, lymphatic filariasis, and visceral leishmaniasis

Disease-specific programmes (also called vertical, stand-alone, categorical, or free-standing) are directed, supervised and executed via single vehicle using dedicated health workers. In contrast, integrated programmes (also known as horizontal) aim to tackle the overall health problems on a wider front and on a longer-term basis through the creation of permanent multifunctional healthcare delivery institutions [1]. Several disease control programmes like the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria (GFTAM), Roll Back Malaria (RBM), Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI) and Expanded Programme of Immunization (EPI) are vertical programmes focused on malaria, polio and other preventable diseases respectively [1]. GFTAM and other organizations have been referred to as agencies with their parallel systems of reporting, monitoring and so on. However, there are inherent differences among these agencies. Global Fund is an international organization which in partnership with national governments (including India), civil society, technical agencies, private sector and others invests significantly in scaling up preventive and management tools of TB, malaria and AIDS. Whereas other organizations like CARE India and KalaCORE India have joined hands with the government to support implementation of certain components of kala azar research and elimination programme in some endemic states of India. Vertical programmes for diseases like malaria, tuberculosis, leprosy, filaria, trachoma and cholera have been existent in India since long [2]. However, India still suffers from a significant burden of 3 parasitic vector-borne diseases, namely malaria, visceral leishmaniasis and lymphatic filariasis. Malaria is prevalent in a total of 747 districts* with approximately 698 million population at risk [3]. Visceral leishmaniasis, also known as kala azar (black fever), is endemic in 54 districts of Bihar, Jharkhand, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal putting 130 million population at risk [4]. Lymphatic filariasis is prevalent in 256 districts and affects >23 million people with nearly 650 million people at risk of acquiring the infection in India [5]. Currently, malaria, visceral leishmaniasis and lymphatic filariasis are targeted for elimination (visceral leishmaniasis and lymphatic filariasis by 2021 and malaria by 2030) [6]. Elimination programmes pertaining to these diseases are important in the health system of India and consume substantial resources.