AMN/ WEB DESK
The World Health Organisation (WHO) has said India continues to make impressive gains in reduction of malaria burden. According to World Malaria Report 2020 released by WHO, India is the only high endemic country which has reported a decline of 17.6 percent in 2019 as compared to 2018. The Annual Parasitic Incidence reduced by 27.6 percent in 2018 compared to 2017 and by 18.4 percent in 2019 as compared to 2018.
India has also contributed to the largest drop in cases region-wide, from approximately 20 million to about 6 million. The percentage drop in the malaria cases was 71.8 percent and deaths was 73.9 percent between 2000 to 2019.
India achieved a reduction of 83.34 percent in malaria morbidity and 92 percent in malaria mortality between the year 2000 and 2019.
Malaria elimination efforts were initiated in the country in 2015 and were intensified after the launch of National Framework for Malaria Elimination in 2016 by the Health Ministry. National Strategic Plan for Malaria Elimination was launched by the Health Ministry in July, 2017 which laid down strategies for the next five years.