Progress Towards Achieving Malaria-Free India

The number of malaria cases fell by more than 97 percent from the 75 million in 1947 to 2 million in 2023, while the malaria fatalities came down from 800000 to only 83.  Most of the states shifted from higher burden diseases between 2015-2023; Ladakh, Lakshadweep and Puducherry were free from indigenous diseases.

Malaria is a severe systemic disease resulting from human infection with the Plasmodium parasite, transmitted through the bites of female Anopheles mosquitoes and is common in tropical and subtropical regions of the world. Signs and symptoms include fever, chills, and fatigues, others being organ failure and death. While the RTS,S was approved with an average efficacy of 30-40% the R21 vaccine is still pending its approval. India has achieved significant headway; the number of malaria cases achieving a decline by 66% (2018-2022). Malaria control, elimination frameworks, and the centre for malaria research-India.Major activities in malaria control efforts are as follows; Internationally, organizations such as WHO through E-2025 and organizations such as the Gates Foundation have endeavored at eradicating malaria and so for India it is in sight in 2030. Some of the main activities include National Malaria Control Programme, National Framework for Malaria Elimination and MERA-India alliance. Internationally there are W.H.O’s E-2025 and Gates Foundation for malaria and India is planning to go for elimination in 2025.

Significant Achievements

• Exit from WHO's HBHI Group: In 2024, India left the High Burden to High Impact (HBHI) group in the fight against malaria.

• Drastic Reductions: Malaria incidences reduced by 97.3% from 75 million in the year 1947 to 2 million in year 2023, and malaria death rates reduced from 800000 to 83.

District- and State-Level Advances

• District Success: There were 122 districts that were malaria-free in 2023.

• State Improvements: We find that there has been a transition shift of many states to a lower disease burden between 2015-2023 with relative positions of Ladakh, Lakshadweep, and Puducherry enjoying zero indigenous cases.

Comprehensive Strategies

• Frameworks: The20132016 and Strategic Plan 20232027 stress on surveillance, casemanagement and real-time monitoring.

• Vector Management: IRS, LLIN distribution and Anopheles stephensi control have being significant.

• Future Goals

• Elimination by 2030: Elimination of all indigenous measles cases by 2027, and post-elimination surveillance to prevent re-establishment of disease remains other priorities of the program.

• Community Engagement: Hypotheses about the implementation of malaria prevention into healthcare and community-based approached are critical to sustainability.

About Malaria

• Malaria is a fatal disease resulting from the existence of the Plasmodium parasite, which is transmitted through closely located Anopheles_female mosquitoes.

• Endemic to the tropical and subtropical zones of the world particularly those in sub-Saharan Africa, South-East Asia and South America.

• P. falciparum is responsible for most deaths, while P. vivax is most geographically dispersed.

Symptoms

• They reproduce in the liver and then spread to red blood cells – the symptoms are fever and chills, headache, muscle aching, and tiredness.

• In its severe cases complications that may arise include failure of organs, coma or even death.

Vaccine Developments

• Despite having efficacy ranging from 30-40%, WHO approved RTS,S which is the first malaria vaccine.

• Bharat Biotech will be producing RTS,S in India as well.

• Oxford University is still waiting on the approval of the WHO while Ghana and Nigeria have approved the use of the R21 vaccine.

Malaria Cases

• World Malaria Report 2022: Growing to 619,000 deaths around the world that occurred in 2021.

• According to data, malaria cases, and deaths rate in India has declined over the last decade.

Global Efforts

• Global Malaria Program: The WHO plan to halve the burden of malaria over the period of fifteen years.

• Malaria Elimination Initiative: The goal set by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation regarding treatments, mosquitoes, and innovations.

• E-2025 Initiative: The Programme for the Elimination of Malaria in 25 Countries by the Year 2025 by WHO.

India’s Efforts

• National Vector-Borne Disease Control Programme: It targets several vector diseases, of which malaria is one.

• National Malaria Control Programme: Consists of residual spraying, case finding and treatment.

• National Framework for Malaria Elimination (NFME): No indigenous people transmission by 2030 according to WHO’s global targets.

• High Burden to High Impact (HBHI) Initiative: Such targeted strategies included the interventions in the high endemically affected states.

• MERA-India: Malaria some research alliance by ICMR.

Conclusion

India wants to see itself as a malaria-free country by 2027 and to have limited its prevalence by 2030 to the barest level through a 66% increase in the percentage reduction in the incidence rate per 1,000 people aged between 2018 and 2022.