New Delhi, December 04, 2019: Malaria No More India congratulates India for its year-over-year efforts to reduce malaria cases, deaths and the disease’s impact on India’s most vulnerable people. The World Health Organisation’s World Malaria Report 2019 states that of the 11 countries with the world’s highest malaria burdens, India was one of only two countries to reduce malaria cases between 2017 and 2018, achieving a 28% reduction in malaria cases. This success builds on India’s 24% reduction in malaria cases between 2016 and 2017 reported last year by the WHO.
According to the report, India’s progress means the country no longer has the world’s 4th highest malaria burden, though it still is the only non-African country among the top 11 countries with the most malaria globally. Setting an example for other countries to follow, the report also calls out India for being the only one of the 11 countries to increase its domestic funding between 2017-2018 to fight malaria. Additional funding increases in 2019 by the Central Government nearly trebled its funding for the National Vector Borne Disease Control Programme (NVBDCP) over the past two years.
“India must be applauded for its sustained effort against malaria. By aligning all the stakeholders - Government, private sector and citizens – India has increased awareness and combatted the adverse socio-economic impact of malaria, which disproportionately affects the most vulnerable including pregnant women and children under 5,” said Dr. Sanjeev Gaikwad, Malaria No More India Country Director.“While we have come a long way, sustained focus and increased funding are crucial to boost India’s fight against malaria and ensure that India continues to lead the world and becomes malaria-free by 2030.”
India building momentum to end malaria by 2030
Since 2000, India has successfully reduced the number of malaria cases by more than half and the number of malaria deaths by more than two-thirds, driving progress toward achieving the Hon’ble Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s pledge to end malaria in India and the Asia Pacific region by 2030.
In 2016, India introduced its first National Framework for Malaria Elimination (2016-2030) and has sustained progress toward defeating malaria since the plan’s launch. To improve efforts, in the year 2017 – 18, Rs. 468 crore were allocated to the National Vector Borne Disease Control Program in 2018-19, funds allocated to the program were Rs. 491 Crore, whereas in 2019-20 Rs. 1202.81 Crore have been earmarked for NVBDCP[1][2][3]
PM Modi and the Union Minister of Health Dr. Harsh Vardhan have consistently reiterated their commitment to end malaria by 2030 on national & international platforms, including during last year’s Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting when 52 leaders and PM Modi committed to halve malaria in Commonwealth countries by 2023.
Odisha a key driver in India’s progress against malaria
In the last several years, for high burden states like Odisha, success is the result of stepped up efforts by the state government, including use of innovative strategies and scaled up distribution of long-lasting insecticide nets and rapid diagnostic tests to reduce malaria cases and deaths. The Odisha government deployed its 47,000 Accredited Social Health Activists (ASHAs) to detect malaria cases early and promote healthy habits in villages with high rates of malaria. In 2017, the government also launched ‘Durgama Anchalare Malaria Nirakarana’ (DAMaN), an innovative programme that delivered population-wide malaria testing and treatment services to the state’s most inaccessible people at greatest risk of malaria.
The efforts worked. Since 2017-2018 till date, Odisha drove down malaria cases and deaths by more than 90%. Since 2017, the Odisha government has been working with Malaria No More, and in 2018 with Abbott and other partners to build on their efforts, improve data, and promote best practices for other states to follow.
“Through the DAMaN initiative, Odisha is serving as global inspiration for fighting malaria with a collaborative approach. The initiative includes innovative strategies to combat asymptomatic malaria, and together with strong political will have been a key factor in achieving these remarkable results,” said Dr. Gaikwad.
Private sector engagement and improved surveillance critical for continued results
“Further progress against malaria will require greater involvement from the private sector and more collaboration between the private and public sectors to build a stronger disease surveillance mechanism,” said Dr. Gaikwad. “Only when we better understand the local burden of the disease will we be in a position to end malaria in India and succeed in transforming for the better the lives of the hundreds of millions of Indians at greatest risk of the disease.”
While Indian
corporations contributed about 16% of the total amount spent through Corporate
Social Responsibility in healthcare activities in 2017 - 18, the amount has
dropped continually – down from Rs. 2569 crores in 2015 – 16 to Rs. 2192 crores
in 2017 – 18 and needs to increase. [4]
[1] http://164.100.24.220/loksabhaquestions/annex/171/AU1287.pdf
[2] http://164.100.24.220/loksabhaquestions/annex/171/AU5681.pdf
[3] http://164.100.24.220/loksabhaquestions/annex/15/AU1810.pdf
[4] https://www.csr.gov.in/developmentlist.php
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For further details contact: Ms. Manisha Gautam at +91, 9717620411 or manisha.gautam@malarianomore.org
About Malaria No More India
Led by an experienced Indian team in Delhi and Bhubaneswar, Malaria No More’s work in India began in 2016 after an extensive landscape evaluation to inform how to best tailor the program. In 2018, Malaria No More India began implementing a five-year strategy to demonstrate and document innovations impacting the malaria fight; work with a diverse set of partners to launch a mosquito-borne disease awareness campaign; and, mobilize the political will and resources needed to support India’s 2030 malaria-free goal.
About Malaria No More
Malaria No More envisions a world where no one dies from a mosquito bite. More than a decade into our mission, our work has contributed to historic progress toward this goal. Launched at the White House Summit on Malaria in 2006, Malaria No More mobilizes the political commitment, funding and innovation needed to end malaria within our generation.
