116 Indian districts reported zero malaria cases in 2020

The Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare recently reported that as many as 116 districts in India have reported zero malaria cases in 2020.

About the achievement

• In 2020, India had reduced the disease burden of Malaria by 84.5%. Also, India has reduced the deaths due to Malaria by 83.6%.
• According to the World Health Organisation, India was able to achieve this due to strengthened technical leadership, rejuvenated political commitment, prioritising right mix of vector control measures.

Background

India was one of the eighteen countries that endorsed Malaria Elimination Roadmap of Asia Pacific Leaders Malaria Alliance at the East Asia Summit that was held in Malaysia in 2015. Under the alliance, the leaders agreed to eliminate malaria completely in the region by 2030. Under this, India launched the National Framework for Malaria Elimination in India (2016-2030). The recent achievement is a part of this framework,

National Framework for Malaria Elimination

The framework works under four objectives. They are as follows:

• To eliminate malaria from all Category 1 and Category 2 states by 2022.
• To reduce the incidence of malaria to less than one per thousand population by 2024.
• To interrupt indigenous transmission of malaria in Category 3 states and Union Territories by 2027.
• To prevent re-establishment of local malaria and maintain national malaria free status by 2030.

Classification of States and Union Territories

• Category 0: States and UTs with zero indigenous cases of Malaria
• Category 1: The States and UTs with less than one case per 1000 population.
• Category 2: States and UTs with less than one case per 1000 population. However, some of the districts are reporting greater than one case.
• Category 3: States and Union Territories with one person per 1000 population at risk.

Month: Current Affairs - April, 2021