NEW DELHI: The number of states/UTs with high malaria burden in India has reduced from 10 in 2015 to 2 in 2023, latest data shared by the health ministry shows. A state/UT is considered to have ‘high burden’, also known as category 3, if it has more than 1 case of malaria per 1,000 population under surveillance.
According to the Ministry of Health, from 2015 to 2023, numerous states have moved from the highest burden category to the significantly lower or zero burden category.
In 2015, the ministry said, 10 states and UTs were classified as high burden (Category 3), of these, in 2023 only two states (Mizoram and Tripura) will remain in Category 3, while 4 states like Odisha, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand and Meghalaya have reduced the number of cases and have moved to category 2.
A state/UT is considered to belong to ‘category 2’ if it has less than 1 case of malaria per 1000 population under surveillance, but some districts have a higher prevalence of the disease.
Latest surveillance data shows that four states, namely Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Madhya Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh and Dadra and Nagar Haveli, have moved to category 1, when a state has less than 1 case of malaria in all the districts.
“In 2015, only 15 states were in Category 1, while in 2023, 24 states and UTs (progressed from high/medium burden categories to Category 1, reporting an API of less than 1 case per 1000 population),” said an elderly officer.
Ladakh, Lakshadweep and Puducherry are in category 0, i.e. zero indigenous malaria cases, according to the latest surveillance data. These areas are now eligible for subnational verification of malaria elimination.
A senior Health Ministry official said the dramatic decline in malaria cases in the country reflects the tireless efforts to combat the disease. “Both malaria cases and deaths fell by around 80% between 2015 and 2023, with cases falling from 11.69 lakh in 2015 to 2.27 lakh in 2023, while deaths fell from 384 to just 83” , added the official.
India has initiated multiple strategies for malaria elimination over the last decade, for example, indoor residual spraying (IRS) and distribution of long-lasting insecticidal nets (LLINs) to reduce mosquito populations and interrupt the cycle of malaria. transmission.
Community integration has played a vital role in the journey towards malaria elimination in India. The inclusion of malaria prevention and treatment services in Ayushman Bharat health packages has ensured that even the most vulnerable populations have access to essential healthcare, a senior Health Ministry official said.
