sauce: T.H.

Subject: Health

context: India is in the news for its amazing public health outcomes Reduced malaria cases and deaths by more than 80% between 2015 and 2023.

• Moreover, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MOHFW) recently reported that 160 districts of 23 states and UTs have maintained zero indigenous cases for the third consecutive year (2022-2024).

About Eradication of malaria in India:

What is it?

• Elimination of malaria is defined as the interruption of community transmission for all humans (reduction of incidence to zero in indigenous peoples). malaria parasite Within a defined geographical area.
• This is different from eradication, which refers to permanently reducing the global incidence of infectious diseases to zero.

Key trends in malaria in India:

• Significant reduction in cases: Confirmed malaria cases are 11.69 million people in 2015 about 2.27 million people in 2023decreased by 80.5%.
• Rapid decline in mortality: Malaria-related deaths have decreased 78.3% During the same period, the number of deaths reached a historic low of 83 in 2023.
• Surveillance growth: of Annual blood test rate (ABER) The number has increased from 9.58 in 2015 to 11.62 in 2023, showing that India is testing more people even as the number of infections is decreasing.
• Species changes: Plasmodium vivax now accounts for almost 40% of casesThey pose unique challenges because they can remain dormant in the liver and cause recurrence.
• Geographical concentration: Ends as of 2025 85% of cases They are mainly concentrated in a few high-burden states such as Odisha, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand and West Bengal.

Efforts to eradicate malaria

In India:

• National framework for malaria eradication (2016-2030): A roadmap that divides states into four categories based on the intensity of infection to provide tailored interventions.
• National Strategic Plan (2023-2027): focus on. “Test, treat, track” (3T) Drive forward the strategy to achieve zero indigenous infections by 2027.
• Integrated Vector Management (IVM): Mass distribution of long-lasting insecticidal nets (LLIN) and indoor residual spraying (IRS) in high-risk tribal and forest areas.
• Melinda: The Malaria Eradication Research Alliance was launched by ICMR to foster operational research and innovation.

Worldwide:

• WHO Global Technology Strategy (GTS): A global framework that aims to reduce malaria morbidity and mortality by 90% by 2030.
• E-2025 Initiative: A WHO-led effort to support countries (including the Mekong region) with the potential to eliminate malaria by 2025.
• Malaria vaccine: rollout of RTS, S, R21 vaccine Infectious diseases in African countries have ushered in a new era in global prevention.

The challenges to eradicating malaria include:

• Asymptomatic and recurrent malaria (P. vivax): The dormant hepatic phase of P. vivax can cause recurrence even in the absence of new mosquito bites.

for example In states like OrissaDespite high net coverage, P. vivax hotspots persist, making it difficult to interrupt transmission.

for example Signs of partial resistance are emerging in border areas of West Bengal and the northeast, which may reduce the effectiveness of standard treatments.

• Migration and cross-border imports: The movement of people from malaria-endemic areas to malaria-free areas can trigger new epidemics.

for example In Tamil Nadu, which is close to eradication, imported cases are frequently reported among migrant workers arriving from higher-burden states such as Odisha.

• Urban malaria paradigm: Rapid urbanization has created unique breeding sites, including construction tanks and overhead wells.

for example Big cities like Chennai are battling the urban vector Anopheles mosquitoes, which breeds in man-made containers of clean water.

• Pesticide resistance: Mosquitoes are becoming increasingly evolved to withstand the chemicals used in bed nets and sprays.

for example Studies in Chhattisgarh and Jharkhand show that mosquito populations are becoming resistant. synthetic pyrethroidsa transition to more expensive dual insecticide nets is required.

Still a long way to go:

• Required reporting: Require all medical practitioners and hospitals to report all suspected and confirmed cases.
• Enhanced monitoring: Transform surveillance We are working on core interventions focused on incident-based investigations in ‘Category 1’ and ‘Category 0’ districts.
• Fusion between departments: Work with the Ministry of Urban Planning, Education and Rural Development to manage environmental factors.
• Community participation: Particularly in urban areas, behavior change communication (BCC) is used to involve households in larval control.
• Innovation and research: Expand the use of new dual-insecticide bed nets and promote research through the Malaria Eradication Research Alliance (MERA) India.

Conclusion:

India is well on its way to achieving its 2030 elimination goal, having already achieved a significant 80% reduction in cases and is moving away from a decline in cases. WHO high burden list. Success now depends on maintaining zero cases in 160 districts, while aggressively tackling remaining hotspots in tribal areas and urban areas. With continued political commitment and accurate real-time data, malaria-free India will become a concrete reality in the next decade.