NEW DELHI: Despite India’s progress, it still contributes significantly to the global malaria burden and is among the 11 highest malaria burden countries in the world, as per the World Health Organisation’s malaria report 2020.
India is also the only country outside of Africa—which has 10 high burden countries — to collectively contribute about 70% of the world’s malaria cases and deaths. The WMR also reported.
The country continues to be the largest contributor of malaria cases in the WHO’s South-East Asia Region — reporting about 88 percent of malaria cases and carrying 86 percent of malaria deaths in the region — in 2019.
The World Malaria Report tracks annual global progress against malaria cases and deaths. This year’s report estimates changes in the global malaria burden between 2018 and 2019, with a special feature on progress made over the past 20 years.
The latest report estimates that India reduced malaria cases by 21 percent from 2018 to 2019, and called out India’s success for contributing to the largest absolute drop in malaria cases in the South-East Asia region since 2000.
It has, however, also complimented India saying that its progress against malaria over the 2000-2019 period – which saw nearly 78 percent reduction in malaria cases – helped put countries in the WHO South-East Asia region on target for malaria elimination by 2030.
Commenting on India’s progress, Sanjeev Gaikwad, country director, Malaria No More India said, “The Pandemic adding to the healthcare burden reminds us of the importance of ending malaria.”