Ashok Pandey

Increasing temperatures across the Himalayan range has contributed to many severe outbreaks of vector-borne diseases. The vector-borne diseases result from infection transmitted to humans and other animals by blood-feeding anthropods, such as mosquitoes, ticks, and flea. The vector-borne disease has made 2020 the worst year on record for deadly diseases including the COVID-19 pandemic.
The instance of the construction of Besisahar-Chame road can be given in this respect as it has given the vectors including mosquitoes a new breeding ground. The vectors have climbed higher and higher up to local markets like Simpani, Khudi, Ram Bazaar, Syange, Shirchaur, Chyamche, Dharapani, Chame and Manang along the road section that is above sea level traditionally believed to be safe from vector-borne disease. The spread of vector-borne disease is heavily related to human activity related to development. The insects thrive in human habitation, laying their eggs in used tyres, flower pots, tree holes and any water-filled container.
 
Vector-borne Disease
Vectors including mosquitoes have also brought Malaria, Lymphatic Filariasis, Dengue, Japanese Encephalitis, Kala-azar and Scrub typhus to places where it has never been seen before, including the Annapurna Base Camp trek areas of Nepal, never warm enough in previous years for the disease to take hold.
“If no action is taken from federal and local government to reduce the current rate at which the climate is warming to highland, the vector-borne disease will spread to the highest land of Nepal within our lifetime,” said Ayuska Parajuli, an infectious disease researcher at HERD International.
After a vector bites an infected person and drinks up the virus in the blood, the virus needs to spend time in the mosquito’s gut before it can be passed on through a bite. As the outside temperature increases the time for the virus to survive and able to pass the time is increased. 
 Seventy-two years old Tambir Gurung of Chyamche village, Manang district said his 7 years-old grandsons were infected with Malaria last year. He never travelled capital city of Nepal to date. His grandson was studying in class two in the local school of Chyamche. He was not slept a day because of illness before. He was admitted to the hospital of Pokhara for 15 days. Sadly, he said most severe cases were disproportionately affecting children. This is the man-made disaster which had ever seen in my life. What will happen soon? No one knows.
“I've just been bitten on the neck by a deadly vampire mosquito, In the nighttime-they will rise and be annoying, this is not enough, they are singing the blood song and different deadly viral diseases transmitted to human beings - You do not respond to a mosquito bite with a hammer," Gurung said.
Women from the same village say different types of colourful mosquitoes, sandflies, flies, and colourful insects are seen nowadays. Some may bite with the poisonous sting and some can just suck the blood. These types of vectors were not seen before. These vectors are at an increasing rate. We don't know what impacts they will bring but we are sure they are harmful to us.
A study was done by Nepal Health Research Council to conduct a situation analysis of air pollution and respiratory health effects found a statistically significant association between air pollution and different diseases affecting children, adolescents and vulnerable people. Dr Narayan Bahadur Mahotra, an expert who is researching the Himalayan area on air pollution the vector-borne disease has confirmed that the diseases have invaded new areas as temperatures rise.
A yearly published annual report of the Department of Health Services shows that the total positive cases of malaria were 1065 from 61 district Kalazar cases were reported 228 from 23 districts and 3424 dengue cases were reported from 44 districts in 2075/76.
The Government of Nepal has set a vision of Malaria free Nepal by 2025 as spelt out in the National Malaria Strategic Plan (NMSP) 2014-2025. The governmental agency, Vector-Borne Disease Research and Training centre has the primary objective of Vector-Borne Disease Research and Training Center to fill the knowledge gap and generate scientific evidence in the field of Vector-Borne Diseases (VBDS).

Life Skill Training
Vocational and life skill training is needed for physicians/paediatricians, vector-borne disease focal persons, health workers to enhance their level of knowledge and skills related to prevalent vector-borne diseases. Contingency plans must be in place for high land areas to tackle the emerging and re-emerging vector-borne diseases. Climate change-related writers, Rebecca Morelle, Science reporter of BBC and Jonathan N. Hogarh, researcher of environmental health have recently argued that climate change-related study and activities are not enough and effective. In Nepal, the average annual temperature has risen by 0.056-degree celsius over the past decades. The study done by the Department of Hydrology and Meteorology has  also noted that temperature has increased most in some of the highest altitude terrains of the country.
 Trekking in Annapurna Base Camp(ABC) is an amazing experience. ABC trek is one of the most spectacular routes in the world. The base camp of Annapurna has an illusory setting combined with dramatic views of the highest peaks Annapurna I (8091 m), Annapurna South (7219 m), the fishtail Machapuchhre (6993 m), and Hiunchuli (6441 m). It is a time to think seriously over the health and livelihood consequences only of the local and indigenous communities but also for the tourism growth and development in the alpine region.

Policy Gaps
Certain gaps exist between policies and practices in Local Adaptation Plans for Action (LAPA), which was supposed to discuss the impact of climate change. The measures to mitigate the negative consequences caused by climate change should equally be reflected in the operational instruments like the National Climate change Adaptation policy and Local adaptation plan of action, to minimize the policy-practice gap.
 We have to conduct an open discussion including a policy dialogue with stakeholders and policymakers for a long-term sustainable plan to protect the health of vulnerable people together with the growth and development of tourism. Moreover, policymakers should equally pay attention to promote scientific research that provides evidence-based knowledge and information relating to positive impacts or opportunities offered by climate change.
Federal and Local governments should plan about how to eradicate the vector-borne diseases along ABC trek to save tourism from the adverse impact of malaise through a long term strategy that would also contribute towards the conservation of the Himalayan region.  

(Pandey works as an associate research fellow at Policy Research Institute)